The Hindu : Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi splits

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 18, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi splits

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, FEB. 17. The Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS), which achieved the categorisation among the Scheduled Castes and became a political force to reckon with, has suffered a vertical split.

Supporters of Manda Krishna Madiga, founder of the organisation, here today announced removal of its current State president, K. Kanaka Rao, and two of his staunch followers serving as general secretary and executive committee member, K. Karunasri and K. S. Babu, for their statements giving out a truncated version of the stand of the organisation regarding the present elections.

At a press conference here today, which was crowded with a majority of the present 23 district presidents, the supporters led by S. Devaiah, its vice-president, also announced D. Veeraiah, J. Ramaniah and P. K. Gangaraju, as "elected" new president, and general secretaries. They said they held an emergency executive meeting last night and held the elections in the light of the confused situation caused by Mr Kanaka Rao's statements. The alleged statement by Mr Kanaka Rao was that the Mahajana Sangharashana Samiti and MRPS, one of its constituents, were two different entities, and that the latter would contest the elections.

Mr Devaiah and Mr Veeraiah said it was a stated policy of the MRPS to work for the community interests and not to contest elections. But if it wanted to contest, it would be through the Mahajana Sangharshana Samiti. The statement issued by Mr Kanakaka Rao had done away with this policy, pitching the MRPS as a political outfit and giving a wrong message to the community. They praised Mr Krishna Madiga saying that but for his work, the community would not have enjoyed its present identity and that they would abide by whatever decision was taken by him. They alleged that Mr Kanaka Rao and his group made the statements at the instance of "some political parties and upper castes."

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Andhra Pradesh