The Hindu : Backward Classes seek more seats

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 21, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Backward Classes seek more seats

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MARCH 20. Leaders of 30 backward classes organisations, led by R. Krishnaiah, president of Andhra Pradesh Backward Classes Welfare Association, have complained that they have found only a few BC names in the lists under consideration of different political parties, including the Telugu Desam and the TRS, and demanded allotment of 50 per cent ticket for BCs by each party and in each district.

At a joint press conference on Saturday, they warned that if the parties gave `B' forms as they liked picking up candidates from upper castes and depending on the BC vote bank, they would defeat them by undertaking a campaign among BCs in the respective constituencies. They alleged that top leaders considered parties as their personal properties and were trying to sell ticket for money. This would perpetuate the present system under which "20 per cent upper castes thrived as leaders using 80 per cent votes of lower castes," they feared. Mr. Krishnaiah, V. Krishna Mohan, general secretary of the association, and presidents and general secretaries of the organisations representing different castes, said BCs became aware of their status now.

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Andhra Pradesh