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New Indian Express
29-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Caste dynamics at Andhra Pradesh BJP president election
VIJAYAWADA: There are high chances of choosing a new face for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president on June 30, though the elections are set to take place on July 1. Although the party is conducting the elections to follow internal democracy, BJP leaders are known for their discipline in adhering to the party line, and may unanimously elect the new president. Potential candidates include BC leader PVN Madhav from Uttarandhra, Adoni MLA PV Parthasarathi from Rayalaseema, and Vishnuvardhan Reddy, all of whom have strong ties to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and are expected to file their nominations in Vijayawada on Monday. The BJP's internal dynamics suggest a preference for leaders with long-standing service to the party. The BJP leadership is reportedly planning to allow a Backward Class (BC) leader to lead as the State president. This decision comes after a pattern of appointments following the State's bifurcation, where four presidents were appointed - two from the Kamma caste, and two from the Kapu community, with two having RSS background, and two being former Congress leaders. The BJP's internal sentiment suggests a preference for promoting leaders who have long been dedicated to the party's service.
Hans India
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Scores of Cong netas jockey for Jubilee Hills ticket
Hyderabad: Scores of Congress leaders are vying for contesting the Jubilee Hills bypolls, even as AICC is mulling for best bet this time to save face in the State capital. Disregarding the guidelines of AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan over speculating the candidate's name, many top aspirants continue to lobby for the coveted Assembly constituency. According to sources, beginning from the recent contestant Mohammad Azharuddin, former Mayor Bonthu Rammohan, TMREIS chairman Md Faheemuddin Qureshi, former PCC working president Jetti Kusum Kumar, V Naveen Yadav (had contested from AIMIM in 2014), C Rohin Reddy (contested recently from Amberpet), scores of others are eyeing the ticket. Azharuddin, who recently attended the PAC (Political Affairs Committee) meeting has made his intentions clear that he was willing to contest once again from the Jubilee Hills constituency, despite losing in 2023 Assembly polls. Bonthu Rammohan, who maintained low profile until recent days, following his failure to get Secunderabad MP ticket, is once again trying to come in the limelight and claims to have grip on the constituents. His wife Sridevi, the Cherlapally division corporator, is said to have a good support base in the constituency. Coming from Kamma caste, Kusum Kumar has earlier tried his best to get MLC position. His candidature was also backed by former MLC T Jagga Reddy, citing need for proper representation for Kammas. While Md Faheemuddin, Rohin Reddy is considered to be part of the Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's inner circle. While Faheem is trying to get a ticket citing minority votes in the constituency, Rohin Reddy who lost in Amberpet in 2023, is staking claim by citing his position as a local leader. However, PCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud has made it clear that the name of the candidate will be finalised only after the AICC completes its survey and bets on the winning candidate. With scores of candidates vying for the ticket, the issue has turned out to be a hassle for the Pradesh Congress Committee.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Revanth inducts 3 ministers, Cong sticks to social justice
1 2 3 4 5 6 Hyderabad: Bringing an end to prolonged political suspense, chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday expanded his cabinet for the first time since assuming office in Dec 2023. Three new ministers – G Vivek Venkatswamy, Adluri Laxman Kumar, and Vakiti Srihari – were inducted, reflecting the Congress party 's continued focus on caste and regional balance, as well as its internal political calculations. The swearing-in ceremony took place at Raj Bhavan, where governor Jishnu Dev Varma administered the oath of office. The portfolios are yet to be announced. In a parallel move, the Congress has also decided to nominate Dornakal MLA J Ramachandra Naik as deputy speaker of the legislative assembly. The position has remained vacant for over a year-and-a-half, and the official notification is expected to be issued in the coming week. Though the cabinet can have up to 18 ministers, Revanth has chosen to fill only three of the six vacant berths at this time. The decision to keep three positions open suggests that the party is leaving room for future manoeuvring – especially in light of continuing demands from various quarters within the Congress. The caste configuration of the new ministers appears carefully calibrated: Vivek Venkatswamy belongs to the SC Mala community, Laxman Kumar to the SC Madiga group, and Srihari to the BC Mudiraj community. Ramachandra Naik represents the Scheduled Tribes. This move raises the total number of SCs in the 15-member cabinet to four, along with four Reddys, three BCs, one Kamma, one Brahmin, one Velama, and one ST – leaving no representation from minorities or the legislative council for now. Chennur MLA Vivek Venkatswamy, a former MP from Peddapalli (2009–2014), is serving his first term as an MLA. Laxman Kumar, a seasoned Congress hand from Dharmapuri, is also a first-time legislator and currently serves as the govt chief whip. Srihari, a former Youth Congress leader, was elected for the first time from Makthal constituency in the 2023 assembly polls. Talks of cabinet expansion had intensified since Saturday, though the govt and the party maintained silence until Sunday morning. It was only a few hours before the swearing-in that the chief minister took to X to officially announce the names of the new ministers and the deputy speaker nominee. Party insiders suggest that immense lobbying and internal pressures delayed the expansion for months. At one stage, it was expected that four of the six vacancies would be filled, with at least one seat earmarked for a member from the minority or OC (other castes) communities. Names doing the rounds included former minister and Bodhan MLA P Sudarshan Reddy, Munugode MLA Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy, Ibrahimpatnam MLA Malreddy Ranga Reddy, and Mancherial MLA K Prem Sagar Rao – all from OC backgrounds – besides MLC Amer Ali Khan and govt advisor Mohammed Ali Shabbir from the minorities. However, in the final call, none from the OC or minority communities were included – a decision that has drawn attention and is likely to be addressed in a subsequent round of expansion, sources said. Notably, no member from the legislative council has found a place in the cabinet. MLCs like Vijayashanti, Addanki Dayakar, and Amer Ali had lobbied hard for ministerial berths but were left out, with the leadership opting to restrict the cabinet choices to MLAs alone. The latest expansion reflects the Congress' attempt to maintain a delicate caste and political balance while keeping the door open for future negotiations and adjustments, a senior analyst said.
Hans India
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Telangana Cabinet Expanded, three new ministers take oath
In a significant development in Telangana's political landscape, Gaddam Vivek, Vakiti Srihari, and Adluri Laxman were sworn in as new ministers at the Raj Bhavan. With this expansion, the Telangana cabinet now comprises 15 members, leaving three vacancies to be filled. The current cabinet composition reflects a mix of social groups, including four members from the Reddy community, four Scheduled Castes (SCs), three Backward Classes (BCs), and one each from the Velama, Brahmin, Kamma, and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities. Meanwhile, reports suggest that another cabinet expansion may be on the horizon, with many aspirants vying for a chance to join the ranks of ministers.
Indian Express
03-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Caste, dynasty and state capital: Three factors that have shaped Andhra Pradesh politics
In Andhra Pradesh, three factors have shaped the contours of contemporary politics: the Capitalist economy, dynastic politics and the question of the state capital. These factors influenced the dominant castes' role in politics and the formation of political parties. Broadly, there are three phases in the political process of Andhra Pradesh: One, the consolidation of the Telugu identity from the early 20th century, resulting in separation from the Madras state in 1953; two, the phase of dominant caste politics from the 1950s right until the bifurcation of the composite state into Telangana and residual AP in 2014; three, the rise of dynastic politics from 2014. In the last phase, political power in the state has been in the hands of three families. The growing phenomenon of dynastic politics needs to be explained in the historical context of the political economy. The building of irrigation infrastructure from the late 19th century onwards by the colonial rulers in coastal Andhra, like the Dhavaleswaram project across the Godavari, and the Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam dams across the Krishna after Independence, turned drought-prone areas into rice bowls. Subsequently, the Green Revolution contributed immensely towards the rise of rich capitalist farmers from dominant castes such as Kamma, Kapu, Rajus and Reddys. With the spread of Western education during the colonial period, the educated Brahmin community took the lead in creating awareness about the importance of nationalism and the Telugu regional identity. The Andhra Mahasabha came into existence in 1930 to advocate for the rights of the Telugus in the Madras state. In 1937, the Sri Bagh pact was signed with the feudal lords of Rayalaseema, which was more backward compared to the prosperous coastal region. Over time, the linguistic movement intensified, and the prominent Gandhian Potti Sriramulu went on a fast unto death to carve Andhra out from the multilingual Madras state. Andhra State was created in 1953, and the Reddy community prevailed upon Jawaharlal Nehru to make Kurnool in Rayalaseema the state capital. However, the move was opposed by N G Ranga, a veteran freedom fighter-cum-Congress leader from the Kamma caste of Guntur district. He demanded that Vijayawada be made the capital of Andhra. By 1956, political conditions favoured the creation of Vishalandhra by merging the Telugu-speaking parts of Hyderabad State (Telangana) through the Gentleman's Agreement. Initially, the electoral fray saw a Congress vs Communists contest, both controlled by the Reddys and Kammas. In fact, from 1956-1983 until the emergence of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Congress was in power. After matinee idol NT Rama Rao floated the TDP, Congress was defeated for the first time in composite AP, and from the 1980s onwards, the state swung between Congress and TDP. From 1956 to 2014, Reddys, who formed 6.5 per cent of the population, held 27 per cent of the political representation and the Kammas, who were 4.5 per cent of the population, held 13 per cent of the political representation. For more than 30 years, the chief minister's position was captured by the Reddys and more than 20 years by Kammas and the rest of the period by the Brahmins, Vaishyas, Velamas and a Dalit. As a result of the dominant and upper-caste rule of more than five decades, the regional fragmentation was aggravated by the bifurcation of the state, while class and caste politics were suppressed. Elections became costly affairs, with a social deficit of representation created due to the disproportionate representation of the landed dominant castes in political power and the conversion of Hyderabad into a centre of global capital at the cost of opportunities for the local population. With the bifurcation of AP, the TDP and Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) have emerged as the contenders for political domination in the residual state, with both dominated, in turn, by the dynasty. In 1995, TDP was captured by NTR's son-in-law Chandrababu Naidu, who has been the party president for the last three decades and is now promoting his son Lokesh as the future of the party. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (Jagan) is the son of the former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, who died in a helicopter accident in 2009. When the Congress party refused to make him the chief minister, he floated the YSRCP in 2011. The party contested in the 2014 election to encash YSR's political legacy, but that only resulted in opposition status. The TDP, as a ruling party from 2014 to 2019 and 2024 onwards, has been concentrating on building a highly centralised capital at Amaravati, which is located in the green belt of coastal Andhra, with 34,000 acres of land already acquired. When it was in power from 2019 to 2024, the YSRCP proposed three capitals at Amaravati, Visakhapatnam and Kurnool. However, Jagan's proposal failed in the 2024 election, and Naidu's plan to build a global city is back in full swing. Thanks to TDP joining the NDA coalition, Amaravati is getting support from the centre. Therefore, the entire exercise of global capital has been characterised by Carol Upadhya as the 'reterritorialisation of the deterritorialised Kamma caste' in the form of building a world-class capital. The writer teaches in the department of Political Science, University of Hyderabad
