For the last one month, 30-year-old Ria barely had time to reflect on her journey as she campaigned vigorously for the hotly contested local body polls in Tamil Nadu. This transgender candidate, representing DMK, was contesting to become a union councillor in Namakkal district. And on Thursday, 2 January, she emerged victorious, battling past political opponents and defeating social constructs.
By noon, it became clear that Ria had won the seat by a difference of 954 votes, a massive margin in the context of local body polls. "I can barely express my joy to you," she said, as she spoke to The News Minute after the counting concluded. Ria was already back in her ward after the results to greet residents, and in crisp sentences, she explained what has become a significant campaign in the state's history.
"I was confident I will win and work for the welfare of people," she said. "It has always been a childhood dream to serve people and to give back to society, and I believe this is my first step towards making it come true," she added.