HYDERABAD: With the stage set for the Telangana Assembly polls on November 30, Opposition parties are looking to consolidate votes among banks reportedly ignored by the ruling BRS – chiefly, the Mudiraj community, which accounts for 60 lakh votes and constitutes 11 per cent of the state's population.
The Congress and the BJP are locked in a frenzied battle to woo the community members, who are reportedly unhappy with the BRS for not allotting a ticket to a community member for the polls.
In a public meeting held by the community on Sunday at Parade Ground in Secunderabad, leaders of the community lashed out at the BRS and promised to support parties that would provide them with adequate representation.
Even before announcing the list of candidates, the BRS was facing heat from the Mudiraj community since K. Chandrashekar Rao sacked Etala Rajendar from the Cabinet in May 2021. Subsequently, Rajendar joined the BJP and won against the BRS in the Huzurabad bypoll held later that year.
Another incident that left the Mudiraj community angry with the BRS took place this June, when an audio clip of MLC Padi Kaushik Reddy allegedly abusing the Mudiraj community went viral on social media platforms. Kaushik Reddy was alleged to have attacked a mediaperson, Bandi Ajay, who also belonged to the community. The backlash from the incident was so far-reaching, triggering protests and causing resentment, that even BRS leaders, such as Adilabad MLA Jogu Ramanna, called for Kaushik Reddy to apologise, following which the MLC did so.
Telangana Mudiraj Sangam president K. Jagan Mohan Mudiraj said, “BRS government is trying to lure Mudiraj community by promising to construct Mudiraj Bhavans, free distribution of fishlings, nominated posts like MLCs etc. We never wanted or demanded these things. We want political power and adequate representation to Mudiraj community in allotment of tickets for Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. As per our population share of 11 per cent in Telagnana, we should have at least 11 MLAs and 3 MPs. BRS gave just one MLC post to Mudiraj community, but wants votes of the entire community.”
He made it clear that the Mudiraj community took a vow to support only those parties in upcoming Assembly polls which give adequate representation to the Mudiraj community.
Against this backdrop, Mudiraj leaders in the Congress and BJP are reaching out to their community leaders, holding meetings and promising justice in the allotment of tickets.
As the Congress and BJP are yet to announce their candidates list, the state leadership of both parties took up the issue with their national leadership in Delhi and urged them to allot tickets to the Mudiraj community.
The Congress and BJP have reportedly identified Patancheru, Tandur and Narayanpet Assembly constituencies as potential ones for the Mudiraj community.
