Making up more than 50% of the population, Backward Classes hold the key to Telangana Assembly elections

Making up more than 50 per cent of the total population, the Backward Classes hold the key in Telangana polls, and all the political parties have been drawing up their plans to get the BC vote in assembly elections that are scheduled for December.

According to some estimates 130 different groups of Backward Classes constitute around 52 per cent of the total population of Telangana. Of these Golla Kurumas, Mudirajs, Gouds, and Pamdashalis having approximately 30 lakh, 29 lakh, 20 lakh, and 14 lakh people respectively are the major groups among the Backward Classes.

The 'BC vote' is so important in Telangana, that every political party besides announcing the sops ensure that the majority of the tickets are also given to BC leaders so that they can bring the community votes.

While the ruling BRS had already announced 23 seats in the 119 assembly segments in Telangana to Backward Classes, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) chief A Revanth Reddy in the past put forth a proposal to allot at least two seats in each of the 17 lok sabha segments to the BC leaders which comes to 34.

However, BC leaders in the Congress have been demanding at least 50 seats for them. But, these parties are also looking at the winnability factor among other issues to give tickets to BC leaders.

Apart from allotting a good number of seats to BC leaders, the BJP is also looking at driving the message of BC leadership at the helm in the party in the form of none other than prime minister Narendra Modi.

Currently there are 21 MLAs from Backward Classes in Telangana and in the last polls in 2018, Congress allotted around 24 seats to Baclward Classes. This time there are high expectations from Congress. “We will definitely allot more seats to Backward Classes than BRS. The candidates will be announced in phases soon,” Revanth Reddy said recently.

In 2014 Congress allotted around 32 seats to Backward Classes. “As per the population Backward Classes should get at least 64 MLAs in Telangana. But, unfortunately, major political parties don't allot those many seats to us. To overcome this there should be a law providing reservation of seats to BCs in legislative bodies on the lines of SCs and STs. The Centre should bring in such legislation in the parliament. Without optimum representation of BCs in the legislative bodies, the lives of backward classes would not improve. In Telangana every political party should allot seats to BCs proportionate to the population,” Rajya Sabha member and National Backward Class Welfare Association president R Krishnaiah told DH.

Of the 119 Assembly seats in Telangana, 31 are reserved for SCs and STs.

Apart from allotting seats to BCs, BRS has planned Atma Gaurava Sabhas at all district headquarters to explain to the BC electorate how they benefited and how their lives improved with many welfare schemes in the last decade. Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, a few months ago, had launched a scheme aimed at BCs. The scheme provides Rs 1 lakh cash assistance to different BC groups to purchase tools for continuing their traditional jobs.

In May, the BJP had announced a BC Declaration that promised allocation of budget proportionate to their population if voted to power. Apart from that BJP had also promised statutory status to BC Commission and priority in nominated posts.