Sunaina Singh, a 35-year-old transgender, is all set to contest against BJP candidate Dulu Mahto from the Dhanbad seat in the Lok Sabha elections in Jharkhand.
A zoology graduate from Dhanbad's PK Roy Memorial College, Ms Singh announced her candidature from the Uttar Pradesh-based Naqi Bhartiya Ekta Party (NBEP) on Tuesday.
Dhanbad, with an electorate of 22.54 lakh including 78 third-gender voters, will go to polls on May 25.
The opposition INDIA bloc is yet to announce the name of its candidate from the seat.
"No development work has been carried out in Dhanbad, a major coal supplier. Cases of murder and extortion have also increased manifold here. My agenda is clear. I would like to work for improvement in education and create employment opportunities. The unemployment rate is high in Dhanbad and even educated youths are not getting jobs.
"I also want to fight against corruption, which is one of the major deterrents in the path of the state's progress," Ms Singh told Press Trust of India.
Ms Singh said initially, she wanted to contest as an independent candidate, but was later offered a ticket by the Chaudhary Zarar Ahmed Naqi-led NBEP.
Asked about funding for the polls, she said people from her community and the general public have been making donations to encourage her to fight the elections.
Ms Singh, the district president of the 'Kinnar Maa Trust', also expressed anguish over the "inequality against the transgender community".
"My parents abandoned me at the hospital after my birth. The state president of our community took care of me after that... I tried to find a job in Delhi, but faced a lot of discrimination. I finally returned to Dhanbad and decided to serve the people of the constituency," Ms Singh said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
NDTV Auto Episode 23 | Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance Review | BMW i5 M60 Review | BSA Gold Star 650 vs RE Interceptor 650 Comparison Review
Only 5 BJP MPs Achieve Over 50% Victory Margin In 2024 Lok Sabha Polls Kirodi Lal Meena Quits As Rajasthan Minister, Fulfills "If BJP Loses" Promise "Passed Every Test": President Praises EVMs In Parliament Address 3 Dead, Over 30 Cops Injured: Violence In UP's Sambhal Over Mosque Survey Autopsy Reveals Chilling Details Of Family Kidnapped, Killed In Manipur Manipur Cops Walk 3 Hours To Raze Poppy Farms, Face "90 Armed Miscreants" Winter Session Of Parliament Begins Today, 10-Plus Bills Scheduled: 10 Facts Married Man Kills Live-In Partner, Burns Her Body In Haryana: Cops 15-Year-Old Girl Raped By Truck Driver In Madhya Pradesh Forest: Police Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.