BC Caste Census to Consolidate Support of 139 BC castes for YSRC in 2024 Polls
VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy aims to consolidate the support of BC castes by holding a Caste Census from November 15, as was done in Bihar.
The chief minister had repeatedly stated that he treated BCs as ‘Backbone Classes’ rather than as ‘Backward Classes’. The BC caste census would reveal the actual numerical strength of each of the 139 castes. This, it is hoped, would further attract them to the YSRC in the 2024 Kurukshetra Yuddham elections.
Jagan Mohan Reddy has stated that Backward Classes constituted 52 per cent of AP’s population. “The socio-economic information of Backward Classes should be made available for better planning and execution of the development and welfare programmes of governments,” he said.
Notably, the AP Assembly had, in 2021, adopted a resolution urging the Cente to take up a caste-wise census among the Backward Classes. The YSRC pointed out that the caste census was last conducted in 1931. “After 90 years, an accurate account of the population is required to plan and implement welfare programmes for Backward Classes.”
Further, in the recent monsoon session of the state assembly in Sept 2023, a unanimous resolution was passed in favour of holding a caste census in AP.
BC welfare minister Venugopala Krishna said that as per chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy’s wish, the government would begin the BC caste census around Nov 15, aimed at better serving the 139 communities.
The government will extensively deploy the village secretariat system for the caste census, along with the volunteer system, he said.
Jagan Reddy had fielded BC candidates in many general seats in all previous elections including assembly and local body polls. This experiment gave good results for the YSRC.
Notably, the BCs were supporters of Telugu Desam from the very inception of the ‘turmeric party’. From the time of founder leader NTR, the party was giving priority to BCs but the BCs, not happy with Chandrababu Naidu, sided with the YSRC and gave it 67 MLA seats in 2014. This number increased to a landslide 151 seats for the YSRC in the 2019 elections with augmented BC support for the YSRC.
Jagan Reddy, who formed the government in 2019, gave top priority to BCs by giving minister posts to 17 BC MLAs and also giving seats in the local body elections.
Political analysts note that, unlike Telangana, where caste is not a major factor in elections, Andhra Pradesh has always seen caste playing a key role. The ruling YSRC has been demanding a nationwide caste-based economic census, while the main Opposition Telugu Desam is also backing the demand with an eye on the 2024 assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
The YSRC may be looking to break the stranglehold of the Kammas and Kapus in various districts, mainly in coastal Andhra. An all-party meeting convened by the Centre ahead of the Budget Session of Parliament heard the YSRC reiterating its demand for caste census.
Minister Venugopala Krishna said that the caste census will begin by the middle of next month. The government would also create an email address and an app to elicit suggestions from the BC communities, including arranging round-table meetings in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, Kurnool and Tirupati to brainstorm with intellectuals from the backward classes communities on this subject, the minister said.
