Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister makes a tall claim every time that he always does a perfect balance of castes in the selection of candidates in the elections and would justice to all sections of people.
However, the first list of 126 TDP candidates for the April 11 assembly elections in the state, as released by Naidu late on Thursday night, has once again exposed the hollowness in his claims.
According to the caste break-up of the seats, out of 126 seats, Naidu has given 72 seats to forward castes. Expectedly, Kamma community to which Naidu belongs walked away with 32 seats.
Kammas constitute just five per cent of the total population in the state and giving them a lion’s share in the seats only shows Naidu’s caste bias.
Though the TDP chief has promised to include Kapus and their associated castes in the Backward Classes list, they continued to be considered as open category and were allotted just 17 seats. The remaining 23 seats were given to Reddys, Rajus and other forward castes.
Of course, not a single seat was given to the Brahmin community, though Naidu claims he has all the respect for the Brahmins and even constituted a Brahmin welfare corporation.
On the other hand, Backward Classes, who constitute more than 50 per cent of the total population, have been given only 31 seats out of 126.
And Scheduled Castes were given only 18 seats including 10 for Malas and eight for Madigas, while STs were given four seats. Almost all of these seats given to SCs and STs are reserved for them; so, he had no option.
And minorities, who constitute nearly nine per cent of the total population in the state, were given only two seats.
And with regard to women, for whom the TDP has been demanding one-third reservation in state legislatures, got only 15 seats.
That is Naidu’s style of social justice!