No wrong in BCs, SCs, STs aspiring for political power: VH

Visakhapatnam : "There is nothing wrong if communities like BCs, SCs and STs aspire for political empowerment as its population comprises more than 80 per cent in the country. But still, the ruling was vested with some communities only which was most unfortunate," observed Rajya Sabha Member and former PCC chief V Hanumantha Rao (VH).

Addressing the inaugural meeting of Dr T S R BC Welfare Forum here on Sunday, VH said that the recent Karnataka Assembly elections have thrown light on an interesting social equation while the empowerment of Backward Classes revealed emergence of unity among the BCs and Dalits.

Social Welfare Minister Pithani Satyanarayana claimed that the credit goes to Kiran Kumar Reddy government which has created a budgetary allocation of Rs 4,030 crore this year for the welfare of BCs which was unprecedented. He said so far the government has included 105 acastes. Referring to the present demand for a separate BC Sub-Plan, Satyanarayana said that the CM has already instructed the Chief Secretary to collect details and it would likely be announced in a couple of months.

Minister for Backward Classes Basavaraju Saraiah said that CM Kiran Kumar Reddy for the first time has increased the budgetary allotment from Rs 3,000 crore to Rs 4,030 crore for the welfare of BCs. Earlier Dr Subbarami Reddy welcoming the guests said that the Forum was set up only to supplement the needs of various castes in the BC list. He assured to build community halls for Rajakas, Viswabrahmins and Nayibrahmins.

Minister for Ports and Investments Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Commissioner of Right to Information Act P Vijayababu and Government Whip Dronamraju Srinivas also spoke. DCC president Karanam Dharmasri, City Congress Committee president Behara Bhaskara Rao, City Mahila Congress president Pedada Ramani Kumari, MLAs Avanthi Srinivasa Rao and Dr Malla Vijay Prasad and former MLA Tippala Gurumurthy Reddy, Forum president P Mohan Rao, senior Yadava leader Pinninti Adibabu were also present.

Later, sewing machines and iron boxes were distributed to the beneficiaries.

Purandeswari abstains from TSR meet

Visakhapatnam: Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Dr D Purandeswari whose name was published for the first time on the four-page invitation of T Subbarami Reddy BC Welfare Forum as one of the chief guests along with her photograph on the first page, abstained from the meeting held here on Sunday.

The invitation has surprised one and all as to how Dr Purandeswari's name was included in the TSR's invitation since there was a political stand-off between the two leaders which was further widened with the recent remarks of Parachuru MLA and husband of the Union Minister Daggubati Venkateswara Rao against TSR. However, no welcome flexi was displayed outside the meeting venue.

Some political leaders say that without obtaining permission of the Union Minister, they are not supposed to include her name in the invitation. "We thought on seeing the invitation that the party high command might have instructed both the leaders to patch up their differences but Dr Purandeswari skipped the meeting," they added.