BCs turn important for TDP & YSRCP

Vijayawada: The Backward Classes have always been the backbone of TDP and hence in the run up to the Assembly andLok Sabha elections, all political parties have started efforts to woo the BCs. While YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy claims that his government had done a lot for BCs, the TDP and Jana Sena have been saying that the ruling party is ignoring welfare of BCs and allege that they have been subjected to gross injustice.

In this backdrop, the TDP and Jana Sena together prepared a declaration for BCs listing out what they would do for these communities if voted to power in the elections. This declaration would be jointly released at a public function on Tuesday by Naidu and Pawan. This will be the second public meeting where these two leaders will be addressing. According to state president K Atchannaidu, the BC declaration was formulated after visiting the houses of BCs to collect their opinions. As part of the opinion collection, around 850 meetings were conducted at the grassroots level.

It may be mentioned here that the TDP-JSP first list had given greater importance to the BCs in allocating Assembly seats. The ‘Jai Ho BC’ campaign was first launched by TDP on January 24 to champion the Backward Classes (BCs) community rights across Andhra Pradesh. Since then, the party has been holding several programmes and meetings to create awareness among this section of the people on how they have been ‘cheated’ by the present government and what TDP –JSP would do once they come to power.

TDP-JSP in their campaign said, “After the YSRCP came to power, the BCs have been repeatedly mistreated and persecuted. People have been killed and their voices were muzzled and the government decreased the BC reservations in local body elections resulting in around 16,000 people from the BC communities losing an opportunity to contest in the elections.”

In the backdrop of this, the BC declaration to be announced on Tuesday assumes importance. The BC declaration committee consisting of Chairman Kollu Ravindra, TDP state president Atchennaidu, politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishunudu and Jana Sena leaders met on Monday to give final touches to the declaration.

Speaking to the media, Ramakrishnudu said declaration was important as the communities were yet to get social justice. The present economic policies are widening the gap among various sections of society. TDP-JSP have accorded the highest priority for the empowerment of BCs. Soon after coming to power, they would take measures for the BC census. “Such a census was conducted way back in 1931 during the British period,” he said.