Hyderabad: Caste, which is the hallmark of Indian politics, is back to the fore in the Telangana assembly polls.
All major parties—Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Indian National Congress (INC), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), the key players are playing caste, community card to woo voters.
BC CM, SC categorisation: BJP
BJP, which is on the slippery wicket after the change of guard from Bandi Sanjay to G Kishan Reddy, announced it would make a BC as Chief Minister if voted to power.
BJP took the decision to appease the BC voters who form a sizeable number.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is leading the BJP campaign in the State, went a step further and announced setting up a committee to look into the long pending categorization of SC community at a mammoth public meeting organized by Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) at Public Grounds, Secunderabad.
KTR: Modi hoodwinking SCs
However, Minister for IT, Municipal Administration K T Rama Rao was quick to denounce the PM’s promise.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to hoodwink people with the promise of constituting a committee to empower Madigas. BJP, the national party is not in the race in the November 30 assembly polls.
Committee again means delayed justice. We have resolved in the state assembly long back with respect to SC categorisation…(if) Mr Modi is sincere then he should just implement it. He should not appoint another committee to study. This shows that he is not interested and he is merely hoodwinking people,” Rama Rao alleged.
KCR development plank
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who got a stick after promising a SC as CM during the Telangana movement and taking over reigns of the State for two terms, has been careful on the Chief Minister’s issue this time while promising all things to all SCs, STs, BCs, Minorities besides farmers, women, youth and other communities.
His daughter and MLC, K Kavitha asserts KCR will be the CM for the third time.
BRS is banking on its development plank, stable government, communal incident free State, Rythu Bandhu, Dalit Bandhu and other schemes for various sections of people including women, minorities etc.
Congress promises caste survey, woos BCs
Congress national leader Rahul Gandhi asserted if his party comes to power in Telangana State, a caste survey will be conducted in the state.
“We have initiated caste surveys in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Karnataka and will do the same in Telangana as soon as we come to power,” Rahul Gandhi said at Bhupalpally ‘Vijayabheri Yatra’ (Victory rally).
TPCC president A Revanth Reddy, who is leading the Congress campaign, is trying to woo all sections of people, especially BCs, STs and STs. Its manifesto speaks volumes with a series of sops apart from six guarantees.
The Backward Classes (BC) Declaration at Kamareddy promises to increase BC reservations in local bodies to 42 per cent from the present 23 per cent within six months of assuming power.
The party also promised 42 per cent reservation for BCs in government civil construction and maintenance contracts.
Among other sops include, a welfare minister for MBCs (Most Backward Classes), fee reimbursement for all BC students for families with less that Rs 3 lakh annual income, interest free and collateral free loans to BC youth for self-employment or higher education.
It also announced Mahatma Jyotiba Phule BC sub-plan with statutory status apart from spending Rs 1 lakh crores in 5 years for BC welfare and creating a Most Backward Classes (MBC) Welfare department, including corporations for all the BC castes for their overall development.
MIM vote bank Muslim minorities
While AIMIM still banks on Muslim minority votes in Old City of Hyderabad and elsewhere and projects itself as their champion, it doesn’t ignore Hindu majority in the State.
The speeches of Asaduddin Owaisi and brother Akbaruddin Owaisi are testimony since both are avoiding communally hateful speeches now.
“Nine Majlis candidates will win. I am sure Telangana people will vote KCR government to power for the third time. Rahul says I have BRS steering and I am BJP B team. Let him say. There is rapid development and progress in Telangana and communal peace, farmers benefitted. I am sure people will vote KCR again to power,” Asaduddin said during his poll campaign.
SKS survey
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s, one day Samagra Kutumba Survey (SKS) 2014, revealed 51 per cent Other Backward Classes (OBCs) of its 3.68 crore population.
Survey, which was kept secret due to legal issues, revealed Total Households 1,03,95,629, Total Population 3,68,76,544, SC Population 64,44,584, ST Population 36,44,453, BC Population 1,88,41,009, Minorities 43,91,595 and others 79,46,498.
Besides 51 per cent OBCs in 3.68 crore population — together with Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and minorities, the share goes over 85 per cent.
Caste based tickets
Barring party chiefs, all parties focussed on caste/communities in the allotment of assembly tickets with priority to sizeable communities Mudiraj, Gouds, Yadavs, Munnurkapus, Padmashalis etc. However, winning chances and finance did matter.
Woo Kammas
After the fracas over former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s arrest and jail in Andhra Pradesh, protests in Hyderabad and initial dilemma over reaction, BRS and Congress are now trying to woo the settlers from Andhra region based in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana.
Focus is on the influential Kamma community in Hyderabad, who are in sizeable numbers in 9 assembly constituencies in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy district besides some parts of the State especially Khammam.
