AP Elections: 81 BC Associations Announce Support to YSRC and CM Jagan

VIJAYAWADA: AP BC Sangham president and Rajya Sabha member Ryaga Krishnaiah said here on Thursday that as many as 81 BC associations have extended their support to the YSRC and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for their efforts towards development and uplift of BCs.

A “Cordial Meeting” of 139 BC castes was organised by the AP BC Sangham under the chairmanship of APBCS president N. Maresh here on Thursday, in which leaders of 81 BC castes expressed their full support to YSR Congress.

Krishnaiah, as president of the National BC Welfare Association, addressed the gatherings and said, “Chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy is a role model for the country in ensuring social justice. The four years of the YSRC government continued in that direction,” he stated.

He claimed that even in states that have BCs, SCs or STs as chief ministers, the governments did not dare to protect and promote the interests of these communities. But, Jagan Mohan Reddy was the first chief minister who gave these people their fair share in power, wealth, social respect and education, in proportion to their population.

Rajya Sabha member Beeda Mastan Rao recalled that the YSRC introduced the BC Bill in the Rajya Sabha two years ago to provide 50 per cent reservation for BCs in the legislatures. “This was supported by 14 political parties, but the bill could not be passed. The BJP had opposed it,” he noted.

He said no political party has tabled a bill in Parliament so far on these lines. “Parties like the DMK, AIADMK, PMK, RJD, Samajwadi Party, BSP, Apna Dal and Janata Dal, which are claiming to be BC parties, did not do this. But, the YSRC led by Jagan Mohan Reddy tabled the BC Bill. CM Jagan Mohan Reddy will have an eternal place in the BC history of the country.”

AP BC Sangham state president N. Maresh challenged the SC/ST/BC chief ministers of the country to formulate a law in the assemblies for providing 50 per cent of the nominated posts to BCs and giving 50 per cent quota in contract works, like what CM Jagan Mohan Reddy did. He said the opposition parties were left in a tizzy to see 109 corporation chairman posts, out of 193 corporations, being offered to BCs by CM Jagan Mohan Reddy.

He recalled that in the Cabinet reshuffle, CM Jagan Mohan Reddy launched a social revolution by giving 17 ministerial posts (70 per cent) to the SC, ST, BC and minority groups in the 25-member Cabinet. Of these, 11 posts went to BCs and minorities.

The leaders of Kuruba Sangham, Akhila Bharata Yadava Sangham, APBS women's wing and other caste associations addressed the meeting.