The opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is planning a separate manifesto for the Backward Classes for the next year’s elections to Andhra Pradesh Assembly.
TDP General Secretary Nara Lokesh on Friday said the party will launch a separate programme on January 4 in the name of “Jayaho BC” to know the problems being faced by the people of Backward Classes in the state.
He told mediapersons at the party headquarters here that the party will hold a workshop under the leadership of the TDP supremo and former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, to discuss steps on how to move on the “Jayaho BC” programme.
Meetings will be also organised at all the headquarters of each Lok Sabha constituency, Assembly segment and mandal followed by a massive public meeting at state-level where the separate manifesto for Backward Classes will be released.
“During my Yuva Galam pada yatra, I have personally come to know the issues being faced by the Backward Classes and the party has decided to get the first-hand information on their problems they are facing in the mandals that I have not covered during my pada yatra,” Lokesh added. Observing that the TDP is the birthplace for the Backward Classes, he recalled how the party founder, late N.T. Rama Rao, encouraged the community by allocating key portfolios.
While late NTR provided 24 per cent reservation for the Backward Classes, Chandrababu Naidu, who succeeded him, increased the quota to 34 per cent.
Pointing out the budgetary allocations made during the TDP regime for Backward Classes and the several welfare schemes launched for their progress, Lokesh termed the Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, as a traitor of Backward Classes.
“After Jagan came to power several Backward Classes like Amarnath Goud were killed inhumanly,” he said.
Lokesh alleged that the person who killed Amarath Goud is moving freely in public and either the Chief Minister or his Cabinet colleagues did not bother to console the family of the victim.
Pointing out several such instances in which the Backward Classes were subjected to various kinds of torture, Nara Lokesh said that even the lands of the Backward Classes are being illegally occupied by the YSRCP leaders. Stating that the 10 per cent deposits made by the beneficiaries of the Aadarana scheme is not being paid back to them, he said that 56 corporations do not have funds now.
The situation is so bad that even the salaries of the BC Corporation directors are not being paid, he added.
The TDP leader said that false cases are being foisted against even senior TDP leaders like Yanamala Ramakrsihnudu, Atchen Naidu and Kollu Ravindra while a rape case is registered against Ayyannapatrudu.
Making it clear that he will personally take the responsibility to implement all the promises that he has made to the people during his pada yatra, Lokesh said that a separate legislation will be enacted for the safety and security of BCs and permanent caste certificates will be issued to them through an app by interlinking with technology.
He also promised to revive the 10 per cent reservation for BCs in local bodies once the TDP is back in power in the coming polls.