Ambedkar-led VBA fields transgender candidate for Maha Assembly polls

Mumbai, Sep 21: The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) has fielded a transgender candidate for the Raver constituency, among 11 nominees named for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, top officials said here on Saturday.

VBA President Prakash Ambedkar said that the transgender is Shamibha Bhanudas Patil, a social activist, and founder and State Coordinator of Trittiyapanthi Hakka Adhikar Samiti, who will contest from Raver (Jalgaon).

Two women -- Savita Mundhe, of the Vanjari community, will fight from the Sindhkhed-Raja seat while Megha Kiran Dongare, a Buddhist, would contest the Washim seat.

The others are: Nilesh T. Vishwkarma, an OBC has been fielded from Dhamangaon Railway seat; Vinay Bhange, a Buddhist from Nagpur South West seat; Avinash Nanhe, a medico of Dhivar community from Sakoli seat; and Farooq Ahmad, a Muslim from Nanded South seat.

Besides, Shiva Narangle, a Lingayat will fight the Loha seat; Vikas R. Dandge, a Maratha will contest from Aurangabad East constituency; Kisan Chavan, a Pardhi tribal from Shevgaon seat; and Sangram K. Mane, of Waddar community from Khanapur Assembly seat.

Shamibha has been a youth activist and executive member of VBA Yuva since 2008 and then with the main VBA since five years, and has been engaged in many struggles pertaining to forest rights, health, constructive resources for tribals, slum rehabilitation, issues of gairan (grazing land) holders, shelters for homeless, etc.

Announcing the first party's first list at a media gathering, Ambedkar reiterated that he would break norms and field tribals from non-ST constituencies in the state to draw the tribal communities into the political and national mainstream.

"The Adivasis (tribals) will no longer dance to the tunes of the Bharatiya Janata Party or Congress… Both parties have divided and exploited them for their own gains," the VBA Chief said.

Ambedkar indicated that talks for launching a 'third front' are underway and they would give a tough fight to the existing two major groups – the ruling MahaYuti of Shiv Sena-BJP-Nationalist Congress Party, and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi of Congress-Shiv Sena (UBT)-Nationalist Congress Party (SP) – in the crucial Assembly polls, likely in mid-November.

Since the past few days, the VBA and other parties have engaged in hectic parleys to set up a formidable 'third group' to grapple with the MahaYuti-MVA rivals, though their final decision is yet to be announced.