 "Nagma Rani")
The only transgender candidate in the first phase of Jharkhand polls, Nagma Rani, exercised her franchise on Wednesday and expressed hope that voters would support her in winning the election.
Thirty-five-year-old Rani is contesting the Hatia assembly seat, where she is up against BJP's Navin Jaiswal and Congress' Ajay Nath Shahdeo.
"I have exercised my vote and hope to win the election," she said after casting her vote at booth No-64 in Don Bosco School, Hesag, in Ranchi district.
"I was surprised to see the support of people during the campaign. I hope the support will go in my favour," she said.
Rani is among a total of 683 candidates 609 men and 73 women contesting in the first phase of polls across 43 seats in 15 districts of Jharkhand.
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A history graduate from Magadh University in Bihar, Rani said, "If I win, I will work for the all-round development of the constituency. I will also make efforts to ensure that deserving students from Jharkhand do not have to leave the state for higher education, and I will work to increase employment opportunities." The Hatia constituency has an electorate of 4.46 lakh, including 23 third-gender voters.
A total of 1.37 crore voters, including 303 third-gender people, were expected to exercise their franchise in the voting.
Out of the 43 assembly seats, 17 are reserved for general categories, 20 for scheduled tribes, and 6 for scheduled castes.
A total of 15,344 polling stations have been set up for the first phase of elections.
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