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Gorakhpur elects eunuch
to teach netas a lesson

Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow

A eunuch has created history by getting elected as the mayor of Gorakhpur, a bustling town in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Asha Devi alias Amarnath Yadav, 48, who contested the election as an independent, was declared elected late Sunday night by a margin of 64,904 votes.

Her nearest rival, Samajawadi Party nominee Anju Chaudhary, polled 44,5445 votes, just about managing to save her deposit. All others in the race, including Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress nominees, lost their deposits.

The eunuch's victory might have come as a shock to her political rivals, but the residents of Gorakhpur say they had it coming.

Since the Gorakhpur mayoral seat was reserved for women, Asha Devi's nomination was almost turned down. However, the state election commission eventually decided in her favour on the basis of the Madhya Pradesh precedent, where a eunuch has entered the state assembly from a reserved constituency.

Asha Devi received tremendous support from several organisations, including the Band Masters' Association. A BMA musical troupe accompanied her wherever she went campaigning.

The town's leading printing press owned by influential businessman Sudhir Srivastava provided Asha Devi canvassing material, including posters and stickers.

She also received unconditional support from all sections of the eastern UP's otherwise caste-ridden social set, largely because of the general disillusionment with leaders of various political hues.

Six members of the UP legislative assembly are ministers in the Rajnath Singh government. However, they have done precious little for the region.

Electing a eunuch to head the town's civic administration may be Gorakhpur's way of saying: shame, shame!

Says Alokesh Bagchi, a doctor: "No political leader, including the six ministers, ever cared to do anything to improve the civic amenities in Gorakhpur. Therefore, people chose to elect a eunuch."

Bagchi, who also heads the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Memorial Committee, felt "the common people wanted to tell the netas now had more faith in a eunuch."

Asha Devi, meanwhile, is assuring her voters she would eradicate corruption and provide good roads, drainage and clean drinking water to the city.

Asha Devi's election has come as a morale booster for her companions. Says Barkha Rani, a double post-graduate, who led Asha Devi's campaign team: "Don't be surprised if you find at least three more eunuchs in the field in the next assembly elections," she said.

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