Kakinada: The conviction and 18 months’ jail term in a case of tonsuring the heads of two Scheduled Caste youths, by a court to YSRC’s Mandapeta candidate Thota Trimurthulu, appears to have come as a blessing in disguise for him.
This is expected to consolidate his caste-based vote bank in the constituency.
Some Kapu leaders, said to be from the Jana Sena, met Trimurthulu on Wednesday and rendered their support to him in Mandapeta. Curiously, there is no visible anger against Trimurhtulu from Scheduled Caste communities too despite his heinous act.
After getting bail from a higher court on Tuesday, Trimurthulu came to Mandapeta at night through Dwarapudi, Ragampeta and Tapeswaram. Some inhabitants of SC colonies had been waiting to “welcome” him. But it was too late, so they reached the Mandapeta YSRC office on Wednesday to garland him.
The YSRC cadres including SCs and Kapus welcomed Trimurthulu and took him on their shoulders to the office by showering flowers on him. The villages like Pedakorumilli, China Korumilli, Yedida, Kesavaram etc are strongholds of the Kapu community and by extension to the Jana Sena.
Notably, Trimurthulu had convened meetings with them previously by making use of his Kapu card and tried to lure them. Some of the JS cadres now joined hands with Trimurthulu. At the same time, Trimurthulu also managed to get support from the SCs in the constituency as he, as MLC, worked for their welfare in the past two years.
“The Mala community, a section of Madigas and a majority of the BCs are in favour of Trimurthulu due to the help he provided to them in the past,’’ a SC community leader said.
He said that the tonsuring incident took place 28 years ago. “It raised strong opposition to Trimurthulu from the Dalits. They organised many protests against him. But the present generation of Dalits, mainly the youths, do not nurse any grudge against Trimurthulu now,’’ he claimed.
Kapu Nadu chief adviser DN Ramesh said the SC atrocities case against Trimurthulu had not had any impact on Trimurthulu’s chances of victory in successive polls. “It need not be raised as an issue anymore also as the SC community is happy with the welfare schemes of the YSRC government. Trimurthulu, on his part, is also working in favour of SCs and BCs in Mandapeta constituency for the past two years.”
The majority of the Kapus, including youths, want to support Trimurthulu in this election despite party flags, he claimed.
Meanwhile, Telugu Desam leader S Rajesh demanded that the YSRC cancel the MLC post of Thota Trimurthulu and Ananta Udaya Bhaskar.
He told the media at Kakinada that Trimurthulu has been punished by the court for his crime against Dalits and Ananta Babu had killed a Dalit youth, V Subrahmanyam, and delivered his body to his family members.
“Under the circumstances, the YSRC should cancel the candidature of Trimurthulu in Mandapeta constituency,” he said.
