Chennai: No big stage, no cheering crowds, she travels the streets of Chennai's RK Nagar on foot knocking on doors and meeting voters one by one. When Tamil Nadu goes to polls in May, C Devi will go down in history as the first transgender candidate affiliated to a political party.
The 33-year-old belongs to the Naam Tamilar Katchi -- a Tamil Nationalist party. She's taking on Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in the latter's stronghold of RK Nagar.
"When I heard that the Chief Minister would contest from this constituency, I was initially apprehensive. But I knew that my party was strong," said Devi.
Devi has her work cut out for her. The AIADMK is a favorite in these parts, and Jayalalithaa herself polled 16 times more votes than her closest competitor in a by-poll in 2015.
But a year is a long time in politics, and voters in these parts know there are electoral issues that will make a difference, this year.
"Water shortage and sewerage are some of the main problems here," said a resident.
"We haven't received ration cards for a while," said another resident.
It's issues like these that Devi has become familiar within last few days. And that's the thrust of her campaign.
"In areas like Kodungaiyur, Korukkupet and Ezhil Nagar, the drinking water gets mixed with drainage. That's something that needs to be set right."
But the biggest challenge that Devi will have to contend with is the stigma that comes with being a transgender. But Devi says a difficult childhood and a lifelong fight against poverty should give her the strength she needs.
"After my father passed away, we were very poor. We didn't even have one meal a day. My only meal would come from school. I used to think: when I grow up, I would feed many people," Devi said.
The concept of change is something voters in Tamil Nadu are long-accustomed to. After all, the state's 25-year-long history of anti-incumbency is well-known. But it's this message of change that candidates like Devi have begun taking to voters, choosing to focus on issues that matter. She might be the underdog, but Indian politics isn't new to Dravid versus Goliath narratives.
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