Congress in a bind over SC reserved seats as Malas, Madigas demand higher share

March 14, 2024 12:16 am | Updated 12:16 am IST - Hyderabad

Telangana Congress is facing a peculiar problem in selection of candidates in the Scheduled Castes (SC)-reserved seats despite looking strong to bag all the three seats.

The Mala versus Madiga sub-caste equation has come into play with strong leaders with financial and political muscle among the Malas emerging as frontrunners while the numerically-strong Madiga community leaders what a bigger share in the pie.

Three SC seats — Peddapalli, Nagarkurnool and Warangal — are now in demand as the aspirants see the best chance for the Congress in those. Interestingly, all three seats are held by the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) in the present Lok Sabha.

The Madiga population, which is said to be around 70 to 75 lakh, is far higher than the 25 to 20 lakh Mala population. The major aspirants also come from the Mala community. TPCC vice-president Mallu Ravi, who stood rock solid behind Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy much before he became the PCC president, is eyeing the Nagarkurnool seat.

In fact, he also resigned as the Special Representative of the Telangana government in New Delhi despite enjoying Cabinet status. He feared that the status may be cited as an impediment to his claim. Though there are several aspirants for the seat, former MLA Sampath Kumar, hailing from the Madiga community, is also a frontrunner.

Similar is the situation in Peddapalli constituency. G.Vivekanand, Congress MLA from Chennur, is strongly pitching for his son Gaddam Vamsi Krishna for the seat but the Madiga community is demanding that the seat be given to it. Congress leader Gajjela Kantham, who dabbled with the BRS before rejoining the party, has staked his claim to the seat. Sitting MP from BRS Venkatesh Netha joined the Congress, leaving his party shocked. Belonging to a smaller sub-caste among SCs, he is also an aspirant.

With Mr. Vivekanand pushing the case of his son Vamshi Krishna, who is the joint managing director of Visakha Industries and coming with the legacy of his grandfather and former CWC member G. Venkatswamy for nomination, his detractors in the party are questioning three tickets to the same family. Mr. Vivekanand’s elder brother G. Vinod is also an MLA from Bellampally. But he is pushing his son’s case citing his contribution in the Telangana statehood movement. His strong financial muscle is an added advantage for him.

Warangal Parliament seat is open with Mr.Kantham, Dommati Sambaiah and Singapuram Indira emerging as strong contenders and in all likelihood, it would go to the Madiga community. Congress spokesperson and its notable face in the visual media, Addanki Dayakar is also a strong aspirant.

With the competition reaching new heights, leaders of various organisations of the Madiga community held a demonstration at Gandhi Bhavan on Tuesday demanding that Peddapalli and Warangal seats be given to the Madigas, and Nagarkurnool to the Mala community.

The BRS that bagged all three seats in 2019 is shattered with the exit of sitting MP Venkatesh Netha to join Congress while another sitting MP from Nagarkurnool, P. Ramulu, joining the BJP to seek the ticket for his son. Sitting Warangal MP Pasnuri Dayakar is also miffed with the BRS leadership as he is unlikely to get a chance to contest polls.