Compared to Andhra Pradesh politics in which caste factor plays a major role in deciding the fate of the candidates, Telangana does not attach much importance to this factor.
For example, In a completely BC-dominated constituency like Siricilla, it is the Velamas and not the BC candidates who win the election most times.
Similarly, Reddys constitute only six per cent of the total electorate, but they get elected in large numbers every time in Telangana.
Yet, during the elections, the political parties will be under pressure from various caste groups for allotment of seats.
And when they do not get good number of seats, they allege injustice is meted out to them by the upper castes.
On Thursday, prominent BC leader J Chittaranjan Das, who had once defeated none other than Telugu Desam Party founder and former chief minister N T Rama Rao from Kalwakurthy constituency in Mahbubnagar district, staged a dharna in front of Gandhi Bhavan after he was denied the party ticket in the present elections in Telangana.
He said he had been loyal to the party for several decades, but only Reddys have been dominating the ticket distribution.
So is the case with former PCC chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah, who is playing the BC card after he did not find his name in the Congress lists. He is alleging injustice to the BCs by the high command.
Similarly, Ranga Reddy district Congress committee president Kyama Mallesh, who aspired to contest from Khairatabad constituency in Hyderabad, alleged that the Congress screening committee chairman Bhakta Charan Das’ son Sagar had demanded Rs 3 crore for allotting him a ticket.
Former MLA from Serilingampalli Bhikshpathi Yadav, who was also denied ticket said he would contest as an independent, as there was no place for OBCs in the Congress party.
R Krishnaiah, national president of OBC associations, called for Telangana bandh on November 17 in protest against injustice done to the OBCs in the Congress.
He alleged that in the name of grand alliance, the Congress was cheating the people.
On the other hand, Kamma leaders in the Congress party are also agitated over denial of tickets to even a single leader from their community.
They held a meeting at a hotel and demanded that at least two seats should be given to Kammas in Hyderabad.
