Don't sell your vote: Transgenders

Hanamkonda: The placards - "We the transgender seek alms for a living but don't sell our vote" - they held sum up the cardinal point they wanted to tell the people. The members of Telangana Hijra Transgender Samithi (THTS), who took out a rally in the city on Monday, made a point that election is not an opportunity to sell their vote, but a responsibility to elect a right candidate, who can take the country forward. The rally was organised by Jwala, an NGO, working for corruption-free nation in coordination with the THTS.

Speaking to media persons, THTS president Oruganti Laila said that they have no affiliation to any political party. "It's shame to sell one's vote. Being transgender, we are living upright and upholding the spirit of democracy by participating in the voting. We only support those candidates, who can understand our problems and solve them."

Lok Satta Udyama Samstha State Advisor P Kodanda Rama Rao said: "The onus is on people itself to eradicate the malady of money-influenced politics. Whom we elect is within our hands. This is where common sense should prevail."

He appealed to people to come forward to exercise their franchise in picking up the right candidates.

Referring to the meagre voter turnout, founder president of 'Jwala' Sunkari Prashanth said that it's time for the intellectuals and individuals to gird up their loins to bring awareness about the importance of utilising voting right in the nation's development.

Jwala members Burri Krishna Murthy, K Raj Kumar, V Narsimha Rao and Nizam, Transgenders Onteru Gautami, Savaram Rajitha, Sudha, Sneha and Ashwini were among others present.