Can Naidu Regain Faith Of BCs?

The Jayaho BC convention being held by Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu at Rajahmundry on Sunday is being viewed as a desperate attempt by Naidu to regain the confidence of the BCs, who are said to have distanced from the party in the last four and a half years.

Though traditionally BCs have been the backbone of the TDP, Naidu’s decision to provide five per cent reservations to Kapus under BC quota is learnt to have isolated them from the TDP.

In the meantime, the YSR Congress party held several meetings to get closer to the BCs in the last four years and there has been general impression that they might prefer YSRC in the next elections.

Under these circumstances, Naidu’s decision to provide five per cent quota to Kapus under Economically Backward Classes quota, without disturbing the existing BC quota is understood to be an attempt to win back the confidence of the BCs.

At the Jayaho BC convention, Naidu will try to clear the minds of BCs on the quota issue, besides explaining various initiatives taken by his government for the welfare of the BCs.

For the first time, Naidu has proposed to set up separate residential schools and colleges for BCs, on the lines of Jyothiba Phule residential schools for BCs in Telangana.

Similarly, Naidu is also expected to announce modernization of hereditary jobs of BCs, as was done in the case of Telangana.

However, the Opposition parties have already launched a counter-attack on Naidu for trying to woo BCs a few months before elections.

YSRC leader said Naidu’s Jayaho BC convention was only to cheat the BCs by announcing some election sops.

“If Naidu has so much love for the BCs, can he declare a BC as the next chief minister of the state? What he has done for the BCs is just a pittance compared to lakhs of applications pending for government assistance under Adarana scheme,” BC leader of YSRC Bharat said.

He accused Naidu of adopting ‘divide and rule policy’ between Kapus and BCs to get political mileage.

“How can he give five per cent of reservations out of 10 per cent reservations given to EBCs,” he asked.