CR calls for kapu unity to make Chiru CM

HYDERABAD: Declaring Kapus as a force to reckon with and capable of taking even the Chief Minister, Endowments Minister C Ramachandraiah said that his wish was to see Union Minister of State for Tourism K Chiranjeevi in the CM's gaddi after the next elections.

Addressing a meeting of 'Ikya Kapunadu Nirmana Sadassu' here, Ramachandraiah stressed the need for unity among all Kapu communities like Kapu, Vontari, Telaga, Balija, Munnuru Kapu and others.

'Unity brings political power. Unity gives us focused leadership,' Ramachandraiah stressed and declared, 'I am not aspiring for the Chief Minister's post. The unity I am stressing on is to see Chiranjeevi as Chief Minister in the future.'

Drawing a parallel with Karnataka, he pointed out that social engineering had ensured power to the BCs in the neighbouring State.

'Several states witnessed this social engineering,' he observed and wondered why such a transformation was not taking place in Andhra Pradesh.

Recalling that the erstwhile Praja Rajyam won only 18 per cent votes in 2009 elections, Ramachandraiah advised Kapu leaders to mingle with people of other castes to attain power. 'We are also in touch with BC leaders for getting reservations to Kapus...so that BC leaders will not oppose reservations to Kapus,' he explained.

He revealed that when they had called on AICC president Sonia Gandhi to discuss the merger of PRP with Congress, Chiranjeevi had raised the issue of reservations to Kapus.

When Sonia Gandhi mentioned similar demands elsewhere in the country, notably by Nayars and Gujjars, Ramachandraiah said he had explained to her that reservations could be provided to Kapus under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.

Ramachandraiah also informed that Chiranjeevi had called on Sonia Gandhi again recently and discussed the Kapu reservation issue. He felt this was the right time to demand reservations for Kapus as the Congress is in power both at the Centre and the State.

'The Congress is dependent on Kapus. This is the right time to press our demand,' he added.

Senior Kapu leader Miriyala Venkatarao alleged that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy hated Kapus. 'Not even a single Kapu was appointed as vice-chancellor to any university. Injustice was meted out to Kapus in police recruitment and no SP belongs to Kapu,' he alleged, adding that several posts were filled with Reddys.

MLA Thota Trimurthulu organised the meeting while Markfed chairman Kanchi Ramarao, MLAs K Kanna Babu and Bandaru Satyananda Rao, Kapu leaders Pilla Venkateswara Rao, Narayana Swamy and YSRCP leader Jyotula Nehru also spoke.