Congress to plump for Manda’s fight to shore up prospects

Hyderabad: With a view to winning over votes of Madiga community in the State, the Congress seems to have decided to support issues taken up by Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) president Manda Krishna Madiga.

The party would support the MRPS’s agitation for categorisation of SC reservations in the State and participate actively in the programmes being taken up by Manda Krishna in the future in support of his cause.

The Congress is likely to announce its promise on implementation of categorisation of SC reservations if it comes to power in the State. The party may also see that the high command also endorses the promise. The Telangana Congress, which is putting up efforts to strengthen the party in the State, could see a potential vote winner in the form of Krishna Madiga. The government’s suppressive attitude against Krishna Madiga has come in handy for the party.

A few Congress leaders who have close contacts with Manda Krishna are trying to ensure a tie up of sorts between the two. These leaders are working on various types of alliance arrangements with Manda Krishna.

Party leaders said Manda Krishna might not join the Congress nor contest the elections. His tirade against the government would be used by the Congress. Manda Krishna, who belongs to the Madiga community, a dominant section of Scheduled Castes in the State, has been fighting for categorisation of SC reservations in the Telugu States.

He has started the agitation for the categorisation two decades ago during the combined State’s period. He was supported by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) then and orders had been issued dividing the SC reservations.

However, the order was struck down by the courts and now the Centre’s involvement is needed to remove the legal hurdles in implementation of categorisation. After the formation of Telangana, Manda Krishna began the agitation again for the cause and sought the support of the ruling party.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) also supported the categorisation and a resolution was adopted by the Assembly in this regard and was sent to the Centre. The government promised to take an all-party delegation to Delhi to impress upon the Centre to take up categorisation of SC reservation.

However, the government did not respond till now. Irked by the State government’s attitude, Manda Krishna took up an agitation again in December last year. His attempts to hold a big rally had been foiled and he was arrested for taking hunger strike at his office.

Krishna was kept in the prison for four weeks and he was denied bail. The Congress leaders used this opportunity and visited him frequently in the prison and announced their support. Several leaders including PCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy visited Manda Krishna in the jail.

The Congress is understood to be keen on having an alliance of sorts with Manda Krishna with an eye on the popularity he commands in the SC community. The Madiga community is the dominant section of the SCs in the State and could decide the fate of candidates in number of Assembly seats.

Out of the 30 reserved Assembly seats, SCs have been given 21 seats. The Congress is planning to give more number of seats to the Madiga community in the next elections to win over that section in the next elections.

The Madigas who have supported the TDP during the combined State period are now in confusion. They have been looking for a direction from their leader Manda Krishna.The SCs population in the State is about 54 lakhs and Madiga community forms more than 60 per cent of it. Nearly 40 lakh population belong to that community makes it a huge vote bank.