BJP MP Seeks Removal of Lambadas From ST List

HYDERABAD: The Telangana BJP on Monday sought to downplay a demand by its Adilabad MP Soyam Bapu Rao to remove the Lambada community in the state from the list of Scheduled Tribes, saying Bapu Rao’s demand was his own and did not reflect the view of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The BJP found itself in a tight spot and amidst a potential battle with the Lambada community after Bapu Rao on Friday met with Union home minister Amit Shah and submitted a memorandum containing the demand. This led to protests from the Lambada community over the weekend in some parts of the state.

On Monday, BJP state president G. Kishan Reddy scrambled to contain possible damage to the party on account of Bapu Rao’s demand. He told reporters at the party headquarters that the BJP was committed to reservations for the Lambada community and the Adilabad MP’s comments should be viewed as that of the individual and not as that of the party.

Kishan Reddy said that the party will inquire from the Adilabad MP about his demand, something that he has been saying for long. An Adivasi, Bapu Rao is the leader of the Tudum Debba group which is staunchly opposed to ST status to Lambadas. There have been repeated confrontations over the years between Lambada groups and Tudum Debba activists on this issue.

Meanwhile, Kishan Reddy on Monday welcomed two former MLAs from the Congress – S. Sanjeeva Rao from Chennur and A. Sridevi from Bellampalli – into the BJP fold. He said these two leaders will give additional strength to the BJP in the former unified Adilabad district.

Mancherial district BJP president V Raghunath Reddy said some 10 leaders from Congress were set to join the BJP. “The Congress has been wiped out from the district and it will be the BJP that will win all MLA seats from erstwhile Adilabad,” he said.