Pithapuram Elections 2024: 'Bigg Boss' Fame Transgender Contestant Tamanna to Take on Pawan Kalyan

New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh's Pithapuram assembly constituency is all set to witness a heated contest as transgender contestant Tamanna Simhadri is challenging Janasena founder Pawan Kalyan of the NDA. Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress Party has fielded Vanga Geetha from Pithapuram.

Actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan is contesting as the NDA candidate and filed his nomination from the Pithapuram Assembly segment on Tuesday. Elections for the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled on May 13 and counting of votes will be held on June 4.

From Modeling to Politics: Who is Tamanna?

Tamanna became the first transgender to contest in Andhra Pradesh when she unsuccessfully took on TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu's son, Nara Lokesh from Mangalagiri in the 2019 elections. She shot into limelight after gaining entry into the Telugu version of "Bigg Boss" third season which was telecast on a vernacular TV channel.

Tamanna aims to transform the Pithapuram town into a national-level spiritual hub. She has promised to establish a Vedic school to provide free education to Brahmin children. She has been nominated by Bharatiya Chaitanya Yuvajana Party. She promised to strive for financial help to 5000 youth to set up MSME units, through which 25,000 persons will get job get opportunities.

Tamanna Simhadri on Pawan Kalyan

On the question of challenging the established politicians of Andhra Pradesh, Tamanna said that her approach is simple. "My approach is very simple. I will do a door-to-door campaign. People are respecting me," she said. "Why would I need crores of rupees to contest the polls? I don't need helicopters to roam around. I don't distribute money and buy votes," she charged at the veterans.

She said though she has a liking for actor-politician and her rival Kalyan, taking him on in the poll battlefield is completely a different narrative.

Janasena Supporting Naidu in This Elections

After the arrest of TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, Pawan Kalyan had announced his support to TDP. He aimed to take on Jaganmohan Reddy-led YSRCP in this elections along with Naidu and BJP in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

As part of a seat-sharing deal among NDA partners, TDP has been allocated 144 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha constituencies while BJP will contest six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats. Janasena is contesting on two Lok Sabha and 21 Assembly seats. 

(With Inputs from Agencies)