AP govt will ask Centre to provide quota to Kapus: Naidu

The Andhra Pradesh government will recommend the Centre for providing reservation to Kapu community under the backward classes category as soon as a commission on the issue submitted its report, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said today.

The state government had constituted Justice Manjunatha Commission last year to look into the issue.

Though the government had earlier announced that the commission report would be submitted within nine months, there is no sight of it even after 16 months.

This has caused unrest among the community and its leader Mudragada Padmanabham had launched a second round of agitation last month, seeking immediate implementation of quota in government jobs and education.

With the by-election for the Nandyal assembly seat round the corner, the ruling TDP organised a meeting with elected representatives and other leaders of the community to mollify them.

"The commission report will be submitted soon and the cabinet will approve it. And then we will send it to the Centre seeking reservation for Kapus in education and jobs," the chief minister said addressing a meeting of the community here.

He said due care would be taken to ensure the existing reservation structure for backward classes was not affected by the move.

"I will take responsibility for ensuring social justice and extend reservation to Kapus. We have already initiated a number of programmes for their welfare through the Kapu Corporation," Naidu maintained.

Deputy Chief Minister N China Rajappa, Power Minister Kala Venkat Rao, Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party leader Thota Narasimham, party MPs and legislators attended the meeting.