Priti Kinnar, a prominent transgender social worker, has officially entered the political arena, contesting the Bhorey Assembly seat in Bihar’s Gopalganj district. Representing the Jan Suraaj party, she is poised to challenge Bihar’s Education Minister and incumbent JD(U) MLA, Sunil Kumar. Kinnar shared that her decision to join politics was a direct response to public demand, expressing strong confidence that the people themselves would secure her victory.
If successful, Kinnar’s win would be a landmark achievement, echoing the historic election of Shabnam Bano, who served as a transgender MLA from Madhya Pradesh’s Sohagpur constituency between 1998 and 2003 – the only other transgender person to hold such a position in India.
The Bhorey constituency has a diverse electoral history, having seen MLAs from three different parties elected in the last three Assembly elections: BJP’s Indradeo Majhi in 2010, Congress’s Anil Kumar in 2015, and JD(U)’s Sunil Kumar in 2020.
In an interview, Ms. Kinnar explained, ‘For over two decades, I’ve dedicated myself to social work in this region. Now, the people have called upon me to step into politics, and I’ve answered.’
She further elaborated on her contributions, stating, ‘Every year, I facilitate the marriages of numerous underprivileged girls and provide assistance to individuals facing hardship or natural calamities.’
Despite the limited number of transgender voters in the constituency, Ms. Kinnar emphasized that her extensive social work has garnered her broad support across the community.
Initially, Ms. Kinnar intended to run as an independent candidate. However, recognizing the strong alignment between her objectives and the vision of Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj party, she chose to join them. ‘I am deeply thankful to Prashant ji for placing his trust in me for this important responsibility,’ she stated.
She firmly believes that her participation in the Bhorey election will significantly uplift the morale of the entire transgender community.
Identifying key issues in the constituency, she highlighted, ‘Our roads are in terrible shape, and both health and education systems are crumbling.’ She assured that her party, Jan Suraaj, is committed to addressing these critical areas, with a focus on improving education, healthcare, employment opportunities, and controlling out-migration.
Outlining her vision, Ms. Kinnar promised, ‘Should I be elected, I will prioritize establishing a college within the constituency. For the benefit of the underprivileged, I will ensure ambulance services are available in every panchayat, preventing tragic delays. Additionally, I am committed to building public toilets for women, addressing a significant issue they currently face in public spaces.’
Describing her campaign approach, Ms. Kinnar stated, ‘I will continue my door-to-door visits, engaging with residents across all villages. This personal connection has been my strategy for the past four years, and people trust me. There’s a clear desire for positive change this election cycle.’
Reflecting on the future of Jan Suraaj, she remarked that significant change takes time, but the party has quickly captured public attention. ‘Just as I’ve been given this opportunity to enter politics, I intend to encourage more individuals from the transgender community to participate. Political representation is a vital path toward socio-economic empowerment,’ she concluded.
However, her candidacy has elicited a varied response from the local populace.
Varun Rai, a journalist from Bhorey currently based in Patna, expressed skepticism, suggesting, ‘Priti Kinnar’s participation is unlikely to have a major impact. If anything, it might inadvertently benefit the JD(U) by fragmenting anti-incumbency votes, which would otherwise go to CPI(ML) Liberation, the 2020 runner-up who lost by a narrow margin of just 462 votes.’
He further noted that Bhorey has historically been a strong base for both the BJP and JD(U).
Conversely, Atul Upadhyay, a Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) member in the area, offered a sharply different perspective. He highlighted, ‘Priti Kinnar has consistently dedicated her time and effort to the people of Bhorey for the past 3-4 years. She helps financially struggling girls get married and is often among the first to provide financial aid during fires or other emergencies.’ He contrasted this with the sitting MLA, Sunil Kumar, who he pointed out ‘resides a considerable distance from the constituency, in Patna.’
While acknowledging that Mr. Kumar has undertaken some development work over the last five years, Mr. Upadhyay asserted, ‘Priti has a much closer connection with the community.’