Andhra caste census and reservations: Jagan’s strategy to counter Opposition

The power conscious castes in Andhra Pradesh – Kammas, Reddys, and Kapus – are intensifying their efforts to gain political control in the state. The Kammas rose to prominence after the formation of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) by NT Rama Rao in the 1980s. Meanwhile, the Reddys were aligned with the Congress until 2014, after which they shifted allegiance to Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP). The Kapus, seeking an opportunity to govern the state, are leaning towards actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party (JSP). It may be noted that the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president of Andhra Pradesh, Daggubati Purandeswari, hails from the Kamma community.

In this background, current Chief Minister Jagan’s political strategy is undergoing a transformative shift as he navigates the complex terrain of caste politics. In a major announcement, he said that the government would conduct a comprehensive caste census in the state before next year’s general elections. Positioning himself against the influence of dominant castes like Kammas, Reddys, and Kapus, he seeks to capitalise on the potential impact of the caste census and a proposed increase in reservations for BCs.

Already, the YSRCP government under Jagan has been making vigorous efforts to appeal to Backward Classes (BCs), who constitute over half of the state’s population. The party’s primary objective is to gain support from all caste groups, including those on the margins such as the Most Backward Classes (MBCs) and Denotified Tribes (DNTs). Among the Scheduled Castes, the majority of the Malas and Madigas have aligned themselves with the YSRCP.

The Other Backward Classes (OBCs), who have traditionally aligned with the TDP, have become a target group for Jagan right from the 2019 Assembly elections. In a previous cabinet reshuffle, he offered a Deputy CM position, with 11 out of 25 members coming from Backward Castes, five from Scheduled Castes, and one from a Scheduled Tribe. About 70% of his cabinet ministers belong to the categories of Backward Castes, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Minorities. Jagan has also initiated 56 Backward Caste Corporations and allocated half of the nominated posts to women from these communities.

Conversely, the TDP and JSP are organising public gatherings, padayatras, and road shows, and criticising the YSRCP government, asserting that the creation of corporations is merely symbolic. They argue that the funds being allocated are not sufficient to genuinely benefit the marginalised sections of society. This when the state is grappling with a severe financial crisis attributed to a lack of investments and excessive spending on welfare programmes.

The TDP and JSP have forged an alliance to defeat the YSRCP, but historically such alliances have failed in united Andhra Pradesh politics. Jagan’s father, YS Rajashekar Reddy, faced a similar united alliance in 2009 but came to power with a majority and successfully formed the government.

Caste census and increase in reservations for BCs

In the current system, BCs in Andhra Pradesh are classified into five groups: BC-A, BC-B, BC-C, BC-D, and BC-E, encompassing various castes and communities such as Aboriginal Tribes, Vimukthi Jatis, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, Vocational groups, Converted SC Christians, and BCs in Muslims. Each group has assigned reservations of 7%, 10%, 1%, 7%, and 4%, respectively. The cumulative BC reservations amount to 29%, in addition to 15% for SC, 6% for ST, and 10% for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), constituting the current reservation structure in the state.

Jagan aims to utilise the caste census data to potentially increase reservations for BCs, SCs, and STs, aligning with their social, educational, and economic backwardness. This move is part of his broader strategy to address the diverse needs of different communities in the state.

According to state BC Welfare Minister Ch Venu Gopala Krishna, the upcoming caste-based census will surpass the comprehensiveness of the previous surveys conducted in 1948 and 1958. Drawing inspiration from the Bihar model, where the Nitish Kumar government successfully conducted a caste census and increased reservations, Jagan’s government is keen on implementing a similar strategy. The Bihar model saw an increase in reservations for the Extremely Backward Class (EBC) from 18% to 25%, for BC from 12% to 18%, for SC from 16% to 20%, and a doubling of the ST quota from 1% to 2%, with an additional 10% reservation for EWS, resulting in a total of 75% reservations in the state.

With the Bihar model as a guiding force, the Jagan government’s objective in conducting the caste census is not only to address historical injustices but also to design effective welfare programmes that cater to the specific needs of BC communities. With this, Jagan signals a departure from conventional political alliances towards a vision of more equitable and inclusive governance in Andhra Pradesh.

The success of this strategy hinges on the outcomes of the caste census and the subsequent changes in reservation policies, which hold the potential to reshape the political landscape and challenge established power structures in the state.

G Kiran Kumar is a PhD research scholar at the Department of Political Science in University of Hyderabad. He is also the national president of the All India OBC Students Association.

Views expressed are the author’s own.