Andhra may witness caste politics take the forefront again, as Kapu Joint Action Committee leaders from all 13 districts of the state met at the residence of JAC leader Vasireddy Yesudasu in Kakinada.
The leaders, who met in the presence of Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham, have promised to up the ante against the Chandrababu Naidu government, who had promised to provide reservation in education and jobs for the Kapu community.
The Kapu Joint Action Committee announced a phased protest plan from December 18 to January 26.
After the meeting, Padmanabham addressed the media and stated that the first phase of the protests would begin with community activists across the state sporting black ribbons and hitting steel plates with spoons during their lunch time.
From December 30, during the second phase, Kapu leaders would submit representations to all elected representatives in the state from sarpanch's to MPs.
On January 9, widespread candle light vigils are expected to be held.
Following this, as part of the last phase, Mudragada and other leaders plan to launch a ‘Kapu Satyagraha Padyatra,' from Ravulapalem to Antarvedi.
Padmanabham has also made it clear that he would not take permission for his rally.
"We are not going to apply for police permission as padayatras are being taken out by all political parties. Why should Kapus alone be asked to obtain prior permission?" he was quoted as saying.
Padmanabham also told the media that all that he wanted, was for Andhra chief minister Chandrababu Naidu to 'keep his campaign promise'.
Naidu, while on the campaign trail in 2014, had promised to provide reservation for the Kapu community if he came to power in the general elections.
He had made the promise while addressing a massive Praja Garjana rally in West Godavari district.
This announcement by Kapu leaders comes after thousands of police personnel were rushed from Kadapa, Chittoor, Kurnool and Krishna districts to the Konaseema region on November 15.
Padmanabham, irked over the "delay" by the state in granting reservation, was scheduled to lead a 'Satyagraha Padayatra' in East Godavari district.
The leader was put under house arrest and the protest was foiled.
The agitation by Kapus, seeking inclusion in the Backward Classes category, had turned violent at Tuni on January 31 this year, when protesters went on the rampage and set fire to a passenger train, a police station, besides police and private vehicles.
Following this, the state government had constituted a BC commission to look into the demands of reservation by the Kapu community.
Padmanabham has criticized the BC commission, stating that it was delaying the submission of its report on one pretext or the other.
Things have gotten more politically complicated after actor turned politician Pawan Kalyan officially announced that his party would conduct ‘praja darbars’ across the state to initiate discussion on the reservation policy.
Meanwhile, Andhra chief minister Chandrababu Naidu has said that the reservation to Kapus would not affect the quota for other people in the Backward Class (BC) category.
"The TDP Government is committed to the socio-economic empowerment of all BCs. I will ensure injustice is not done to any of them," The Hindu quoted him as saying.