SC, ST, BC, Minorities, EBCs to Act as Shield' to Protect Jagan in Polls: Minister

KAKINADA: The SC, ST, BC, Minorities and Economically Backward Classes (EBCs) among the upper castes will act as a “shield” to protect Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy from the designs of Telugu Desam chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu in the coming elections, BC welfare minister Srinivasa Venugopala Krishna has claimed.

“Chandrababu Naidu can claim to have support only from his own caste, while others will vote for the YSRC,” the minister said.

He was speaking to the media in the course of the Samajika Sadhikarika Yatra of the YSRC in Kakinada Rural Assembly segment, represented by former agriculture minister Kurasala Kannababu.

Ministers Budi Mutyla Naidu, P. Vishwaroop, former minister and Rajya Sabha member M. Venkata Ramana and others were present.

The BC welfare minister said Chandrababu had a habit of taking decisions that suited the interests of only his own caste. He never cared for the interests of downtrodden sections. “But, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has been launching schemes for the welfare and development of the SC, BC, ST, Minorities and the poor among the upper castes.”

“The 2024 elections will be a Kurukshetra battle between the poor and the ‘rich upper caste’ people in AP,” he said.

Deputy chief minister Budi Mutyala Naidu said there were no moral, ethics or values to Chandrababu’s politics.

Transport minister Viswaroop said the Samajika Sadhikarika Yatra was aimed at creating awareness among the people on the implementation of welfare schemes and comparing the records of the YSRC and TD in fulfilling the election promises.

“Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao also took inspiration from Jagan Mohan Reddy and announced that TS would follow AP’s pension scheme. The YSRC government did good work. Jagan Mohan Reddy gave preference to women and gave them 50 per cent of seats vis-a-vis nominated posts.

Former minister Venkata Ramana said Chandrababu Naidu was always giving priority to only his henchmen or those from his own caste. “But Jagan Mohan Reddy is giving priority to improving the living standards of the poor and downtrodden sections.”

MLAs Pendem Dorababu, Purnachandra Prasad, Kakinada Lok Sabha member Vanga Githa, YSRC incharge to Peddapuram constituency D. Dorababu and others were present.