Kakinada: Kapus in Andhra Pradesh are getting ready to raise their voice and flex their political muscle at Tuni in East Godavari District on Sunday, demanding their due share of the benefits. The stage is set for the “Kapu Aikhya Garjana”, a massive public meeting that will see members of the community from across the 13 districts assemble at Tuni and make their presence felt. The organisers have made all possible arrangements for the public meeting choosing a venue on a massive 150 acres of land, thereby setting the stage for a thunderous political show of strength by Kapus.
It may be noted that Kapus are the dominant community, especially in the two Godavari districts. The community also plays a vital role in other districts of the state. The Kapu Garjana has created unrest in the ruling Telugu Desam circles as it may cut into the crucial vote of the party, a major reason for the party’s victory in the 2014 elections in Godavari districts and several other coastal districts.
This is one of the reasons that the TD leadership is making every possible effort to prevent anyone from the party attending the garjana. However, the Congress and YSR Congress have imposed no such restrictions on the party cadre and are allowing their Kapu members to attend the meeting. Kapus leaders found fault with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for trying to prevent TD members of the community from attending the meeting.
“We gave victory to Chandrababu in 2014. But now, when we are striving to unite the community, Chandrababu wants to suppress us and split us. However, the community has awakened to reality and won’t fall prey to Chandrababu’s cheap tricks,” said Kapunadu chief advisor D.N. Ramesh who is playing a vital role in the arrangements for the Kapu garjana. Mr Ramesh said that already, Kapus from all the parties are firm on attending the garjana to raise their voice. He said that TD MLAs may also attend the meeting.
The organisers have made arrangements on the massive ground for over 10 lakh people, but some leaders expect less than five lakh to attend. LED screens and others have been arranged. The man behind the garjana and Kapunadu senior leader Mudragada Padmanabham made it clear that it was not political meeting, but only a platform for the community to voice their problems and demand the government to solve them.
Extend quota to kapus, says Harsha:
Amalapuram former MP G.V. Harsha Kumar on Saturday demanded that the government extend reservations for Kapus immediately and also include the community in the BCs’ list. Speaking to reporters here, Mr Kumar said that the government should extend reservations to all castes as per their population.
Answering a query, the former MP said that necessary steps can be taken so that there are no hurdles for other BC communities in the instance of political reservations. Meanwhile, YSR Congress leader Jakkampudi Vijayalakshmi said that as many as 15,000 people from Rajahmundry and Rajahmundry Rural mandal will attend the Kapu garjana. She opined that this was last chance for the Kapus to get their rights.
