Hyderabad: After his return to power with the help of the Kamma-Kapu combination, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has decided to make the “hit combination” a long-standing affair.
Mr Naidu selected Mandali Budda Prasad from the Kapu community for the deputy Speaker’s post. Setting aside their age-old rivalry, the Kamma and Kapu communities had joined hands and had succeeded in bringing the TD back to power after 10 years.
The Vangaveeti Ranga incident in 1988 had triggered caste violence between the Kammas and the Kapus in which around 42 people were killed and about Rs 100-crore worth properties were destroyed.
After the two communities ended their rivalry prior to the general elections and supported the TD, the party swept the polls in the East and West Godavari districts and also won majority seats in Krishna and Guntur districts.
Keeping the Kamma and Kapu combination in mind, Mr Naidu had given the deputy CM’s post to N. Chinna Rajappa, who is a Kapu leader from East Godavari district. In his 20-member Cabinet too, Mr Naidu has given equal representation to Kamma and Kapu leaders.
The Kammas in the Cabinet are Devineni Uma Maheswar Rao, Paritala Sunitha, P. Pulla Rao and Kamineni Srinivas. The Kapus are N. Chinna Rajappa, Ganta Srinivasa Rao, P. Manikyala Rao, Kimidi Mrunalini and P. Narayana.
The Assembly Speaker’s post went to a Kamma, Kodela Siva Prasada Rao, and the deputy Speaker’s post went to a Kapu, Mandali Prasad. The party leaders were surprised with this selection. They had thought that senior MLA, Gollapalli Surya Rao, would get the post. Sources said that Mr Prasad too was surprised.
