In a first, transwoman nominated to BJP district committee in Kerala

In a progressive move, a 34-year-old transwoman was nominated to the district committee of the BJP in Kerala.

On Friday, Adithi Achut became the first-ever member of the transgender community to be made a member of the party’s district committee in the state. She was welcomed into the Ernakulam district committee in the presence of BJP state secretary S Suresh, district president S Jayakrishnan and Mahila Morcha national secretary Padmaja S Menon.

Achut has completed her graduation from Ernakulam Law College and had also served as the area president of the SFI, the student arm of the CPI(M). Hailing from Perumbavoor, she has been an active member of the party ever since she accepted the membership from union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman. She said she had been inspired to join the BJP after seeing development works being carried out under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi.

“My political identity will certainly be to prioritise the upliftment of my community as well as the welfare of the whole society as I see politics primarily as social service,” she told indianexpress.com.

On her elevation to the district committee, Achut said, “All other political parties and institutions should set this as an example and provide greater inclusion for the transgender community in the political and public sphere.”

Achut stressed that the transgender community continues to face discrimination in society in the form of finding appropriate shelters, a source of livelihood and finding an identity of their own. She said she would work in the direction of helping the community through her party.

(Mona Hareesh is an intern with indianexpress.com, based in Kochi)