VIJAYAWADA: The social engineering commitment of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is evident once again in the nomination of MLC candidates, Government Advisor (Public Affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy has asserted.
Speaking after accompanying the party MLC candidates who filed their nomination papers on Thursday, Sajjala said 18 MLC seats will be filled. “Of the total 18 seats, 14 have been allotted to BCs, SCs and STs and 11 of them are from backward castes. This is historic,’’ he averred. Sajjala went on to add that the YSRC had given a chance to four minority leaders in the Legislative Council, which itself is a record. “Of the 58-member Council, if the graduates and teachers quota members are set aside, the TDP has a meagre strength of four. Of the total 44 YSRC MLCs, 30 hail from BCs, SCs, STs and minorities,’’ he explained.
The YSRC has been striving for political empowerment of BCs, SCs, STs and minorities and it has reflected right from nominated posts. “About 90% of mayor, 70% of Zilla Parishad, 67% of Mandal Parishad and 72% of municipal chairman posts have been allotted to BCs, SCs, STs and minorities,’’ he highlighted. Sajjala questioned TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu as to why he could not accord the same priority to BCs and other sections while in power. “You claim that the TDP is a party having BC vote bank, but you failed to do justice to them,’’ he remarked.
Sajjala said Jagan firmly believes that political empowerment is the only way to ensure uplift of these sections and as part of this, he has owned these sections. “This revolutionary political step has started since 2019 elections and people can see more of it in the days to come. In Jagan’s rule, it is not just BCs, SCs, STs and minorities, but women too will get 50% reservation wherever possible,’’ he asserted.
Earlier, YSRC candidates for the MLC posts under the MLA quota called on Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at his camp office.Jagan handed over B-forms to seven YSRC MLC candidates. M Rajasekhar, VV Suryanarayana Raju Penumatsa, P Sunitha, K Guruvulu, B Israel, Jayamangala Venkataramana and Ch Yesuratnam thanked Jagan for giving them an opportunity to contest as MLCs.
Elections, if necessary, will be held on March 29 to fill the vacancies arising out of the expiry of term of Nara Lokesh, P Sunitha, Bachula Arjunudu, Dokka Manikya Varaprasad, Penmetsa Varaha Venkata Suryanarayana Raju and Gangula Prabakar Reddy.