State president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and NE Region Development G. Kishan Reddy has stated that the party is committed to the Scheduled Tribes (ST) reservation to Lambada community as a large section of it is till languishing in poverty and they need upliftment.
Speaking at a meeting organised in the party’s State headquarters here to admit leaders of other parties from Peddapalli Lok Sabha Constituency on Monday, he responded to a statement made by party MP from Adilabad Soyam Bapu Rao recently that he (Bapu Rao) would fight until the Lambada community was removed from the ST reservation list. Mr. Reddy said the party would protect the existing reservation to Lambadas as they need quota.
He, however, stated that there was a need to increase the ST quota in Telangana in proportion to the communities’ population in the State. Mr. Kishan Reddy said he would enquire about the MP’s statement and on what basis he had made it. The Union Minister distanced the party from Mr. Bapu Rao’s statement and said it was his “personal view”.
Mr. Kishan Reddy alleged that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Government in the State lacked sincerity in increasing ST reservation and it was wilfully delaying it by linking it with the minorities’ quota bill. He also accused the State Government of shelving the SC, ST Sub-Plans.
On floods, he alleged that no relief and assistance had reached the affected people from the State Government so far and only other including BJP ranks were extending some help. Central teams would visit the affected areas, assess the damage/loss caused by floods and report it to the Centre.
2 ex-MLAs join BJP
Meanwhile, several leaders from Peddapalli constituency including two former MLAs S. Sanjeeva Rao (Chennur-TDP-1983) and A. Sridevi (Bellampalli-TDP-2004), former Municipal Chairperson of Bellampalli A. Rajeshwar Rao along with their follower joined BJP. They were welcomed into the party by Mr. Kishan Reddy.
National vice president of the party D.K. Aruna, party’s election management committee chairman and MLA Eatala Rajender, for MPs G. Vivek and B. Narsaiah Goud, former MLA A. Maheshwar Reddy and others were present.
