VIJAYAWADA: In what is seen as a repeat of the mayor and municipal chairperson selection, the YSRC government has given a lion’s share of 56 per cent of deputy mayor and vice-chairperson posts of municipal corporations, municipalities and Nagar panchayats to leaders from Backward Classes, Schedule Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Minority communities.
Out of the 85 posts of vice-chairperson and deputy mayor of municipality and Nagar panchayats for which polls took place on Friday, 48 went to people belonging to BCs, SCs and STs. As many as 24 BCs were elected with a share of 28 per cent followed by 22 SCs with a share of 26 per cent, and two posts went to STs.
Altogether, the share of the three sections came to around 56 per cent. People from other castes were given a representation of 44 per cent with 37 posts of deputy mayor and vice-chairperson.
The YSRC government has been according priority to these sections in filling up the nominated posts to the Legislative Council and also in the recently held elections to the posts of mayor and chairpersons of the civic bodies to ensure social justice.
After winning the elections to urban local bodies in March, the YSRC gave top priority to BCs, SCs, STs and Muslims in elections to the mayor and chairperson posts. Of the total 86 mentioned posts, the YSRC gave representation to 40 people from the BC community providing them with a share of 46.51 per cent.
Similarly, 12 civic chief posts went to people from the Muslim community with a share of 13.95 per cent. BCs and Muslims alone have 60.46 per cent representation. A total of 67 posts had gone to the BC, SC, ST and Minority communities with a total share of 78 per cent. Women, too, got a decent share as they bagged 52 posts with a share of 60.47 per cent.
‘Social justice’
Out of a total of 85 deputy mayor and vice-chairperson posts, 24 went to BCs, 22 to SCs and 2 to STs while 37 went to people from other castes.