Caste politics is expected to play a major role in the upcoming MLC and local body elections in Telangana. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has reportedly adopted a caste-based strategy to gain voter support ahead of these elections. The elections include three MLC seats and positions in Gram Panchayats, Municipalities, MPTCs, and ZPTCs.
To strengthen his connection with the Madiga community, the largest group within the Scheduled Castes (SCs), the Chief Minister held an important meeting with MRPS leader Manda Krishna Madiga on Tuesday.
During the meeting, Revanth Reddy reassured his commitment to implementing SC categorisation. He pointed out that the government had already formed a Cabinet Sub-Committee and a Judicial Commission to work on this issue. He also mentioned that the state Assembly had approved the commission’s report supporting SC categorisation.
Manda Krishna Madiga appreciated the Chief Minister’s efforts on this matter. In response, Revanth Reddy said his government is open to suggestions from the Madiga community regarding reservation policies in education and employment. He assured that the Cabinet Sub-Committee and the Judicial Commission would consider any concerns raised by the community to speed up the process.
The Chief Minister also promised further discussions to address other pending issues related to the empowerment of the Madiga sub-castes. This includes allocating specific funds for each sub-group within the SC category.
Political experts believe that this move is part of Revanth Reddy’s broader strategy to gain the support of the Madiga community for the upcoming elections.
Apart from this, the caste survey is expected to play a key role in shaping Congress’s election strategy. The survey aims to attract the backing of the numerically strong Backward Class (BC) communities. To prepare for this, state ministers have already started talks with various BC representatives. The Chief Minister is also expected to meet with key leaders from these communities to highlight the importance of the caste survey in ensuring their political empowerment.
State Advisor K Keshava Rao has been given the task of engaging with BC associations and building support for the BC quota based on the caste survey results. After the local body elections, the Chief Minister plans to meet with BC organisations to push for a nationwide caste survey and urge the Union government to implement it across the country.
