LUCKNOW, India -- A drab by-election in India's most populous state has been spiced up according to AFP by a flamboyant eunuch candidate accusing her rivals, including Chief Minister Rajnath Singh, of "political impotence."

While Singh is assured of victory in Saturday's poll in Uttar Pradesh's dusty Haidergarh constituency, the wind has been taken out of his sails by the colorful campaign of 32-year-old eunuch, Madhu Tiwari.

Villagers who make up the bulk of Haidergarh's voters are candid about which election meeting they would rather attend.

"A lot of powerful politicians have been holding meetings. But they all have the same dull, dry style. Madhu's meetings are different. She provides us with good entertainment and laughs," said farmer Ram Chander.

Tiwari, a college graduate, has no delusions about the outcome of the ballot.

"I am not going to win. But I will surely tell people that they should choose the real eunuch instead of these politically impotent people," Tiwari said.

"I am here to tell the people that they are better off trusting us. We will probably live up to their expectations more than these leaders they have trusted so far."

Tiwari has won admirers for taking on a seasoned politician like Singh, who was nominated chief minister in December, despite holding no seat in the state legislature.

"She tells the truth and is bold to fight the chief minister," said Chander, who has attended most of Tiwari's election meetings that begin at dusk after most of the city politicians have left Haidergarh to go back to their town houses.

A show stealer, Madhu dances on a makeshift stage rigged in the back of a truck to the latest chartbusters from popular Hindi films accompanied by her friends -- a group of six other eunuchs.

Their singing, clapping and dancing draws an immediate crowd. Thunderous applause normally greets Tiwari's stage antics which she follows up with a simple speech.

"We are eunuchs. We have no caste, gender or religious bias. Our philosophy cuts across all kinds of people. We also have no family or ambitions which can lead us to vested interests or corruption," Tiwari tells voters.

"Tiwari makes sense and what's more she is fun," said Kanhaiya Verma, a 44-year-old peasant. After listening to the usual long lectures we love listening to her."

Tiwari is trying to follow in the footsteps of Shabnam Mausi, who made history last year by becoming the first eunuch to be elected to an Indian state legislature.

Tiwari's candidacy papers have registered her as a woman.

India's eunuchs have faced centuries of oppression and derision. Their traditional sources of income are prostitution, begging, and singing and dancing for money at weddings, christenings and housewarmings.

Many eunuchs are not actually castrated, but rather transsexuals, transvestites or hermaphrodites who enter the community after being rejected elsewhere.