YSRC Will Sweep All ST Seats For Third Time, Says Deputy CM Dora

Visakhapatnam: The ruling YSRC will sweep all the seven scheduled tribe assembly constituencies for the third consecutive time in the forthcoming elections, declared Deputy Chief Minister and Saluru MLA Peedika Rajanna Dora.

Three MLAs of these seven segments have won from their constituencies twice, while Rajanna Dora has won from Saluru third time in a row in 2019 elections. He won the 2009 elections on Congress Party ticket and 2014 and 2019 polls on YSRC ticket.

Palakonda MLA Viswasarayi Kalavathi and Kurupam MLA Pamula Pushpadreevani won in 2014 and 2019.

The Deputy CM said development initiated by late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy is being carried forward by his son Jagan Mohan Reddy. This has helped YSRC in consolidating its base in ST segments of the state.

Dismissing opposition parties’ accusations as baseless, Rajanna Dora emphasised the substantial financial commitment YSRC made to develop tribals, which surpassed the previous regime’s financial support to Adivasis.

TD government, during its 2014–2019 tenure, spent ₹12,000 crore on tribal welfare activities, whereas YSRC government spent ₹22,000 crore in four years, he stated.

On tribal sub-plan spending, Rajanna Dora said a committee has been formed by the YSRC government, which he himself heads. The committee ensures that funds for tribal communities are carried forward to the next year without lapsing after the fiscal year.

On striking down of GO No. 3 that enabled 100 per cent reservation for tribals in teachers’ jobs, the minister said the opposition is alleging that the state government has not filed a review petition, which is not true.

He asserted that the government had filed the review petition. But the process slowed due to the retirement of a judge. The petition will be heard soon, he underlined.

“Adivasis are happy with the welfare schemes and cancellation of bauxite mining in the agency. This has made them forget non-spending of tribal sub-plan funds and the proposed inclusion of Boya Valmiki communities into the ST list,” Rama Rao Dora, an activist of ASR district said.

Another activist M. Rajababu said there is resentment against the MLAs but not the party.

The ST assembly constituencies are Paderu (Kottagulli Bhagya Lakshmi), Araku Valley (Chetti Palguna), Palakonda (Viswasarayi Kalavati), Kurupam (Pushpasreevani Pamula), Salur (Peedika Rajanna Dora), Rampachodavaram (N. Dhanalakshmi)) and Polavaram (Tellam Balaraju).