According to sources transgender activist Bharathi Kannamma donned the avatar of Goddess Meenakshi as she filed her nomination for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Madurai. Reportedly Kannamma was accompanied by two persons dressed like people belonging to the Muslim and Christian communities. Meanwhile she will be pitted against R Gopalakrishnan, AIADMK's sitting MP from Madurai.
Previously Kannamma had expressed apprehensions regarding the date chosen by the Election Commission for polling in Tamilnadu, as it coincides with the Chithirai festival in Madurai as well as Koovagam Koothandavar, a 3 day long festival of transgenders. Furthermore this came after representatives of the transgender community in Madurai wrote to District Collector S Natarajan seeking rescheduling of the Lok Sabha elections, which will be held on April 18 in a single phase.
When speaking to reporters on March 16, Kannamma had said "We cannot accept the dates for two reasons. First, a huge number of people throng Madurai to witness the Chithirai festival. Perhaps pilgrims attending it will not be able to cast votes. Secondly, transgenders from across the country will attend a 3 day long transgender festival in Viluppuram district from April 15-17. This will surely affect voter turnout."
