Who is Shameebha Patil, the lone transgender candidate in Maharashtra Assembly elections?

Patil claimed to have completed the first round of her door-to-door campaign in over 100 villages. She raises issues such as declining groundwater levels and how the water crisis impacts farmers relying on banana, soyabean, and cotton cultivation.

Patil has dedicated her life to various organisations and movements, such as Lok Sangarsh Morcha and Sarva Seva Sangh while upholding the ideals and values of B R Ambedkar. She completed her postgraduate education in Marathi literature and served as a visiting faculty member at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).

“I want to ensure that the rights of the unorganised workers at banana plantations are protected,” said Patil, who expressed gratitude for having a supportive family.

When contacted, VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar’s son Sujat Ambedkar told The Indian Express that Patil was keen on forming a union for unorganised workers in the banana plantation and even set up a corporation. “She has gained the support of the Adivasi tribes and is actively working to protect their land rights,” he added.

In Raver, the Congress has fielded sitting MLA Shirish Chaudhari’s son Dhananjay. The BJP candidate is Amol Jawale, the son of the late Haribhau Jawale, who won the seat in 2014. Parivartan Mahashakti, the third front of non-Mahayuti and non-Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) parties, has fielded Anil Chaudhari.

The Maharashtra Assembly elections to elect 288 MLAs will be held on November 20, followed by the counting on November 23.