Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu has announced 5% reservation to Kapus.
Kapus have been demanding reservation for a long time. Naidu promised to give reservation to the community in his election manifesto in 2014. Kapu community leaders have protesting against TDP government for not fulfilling poll promise. Kapu crusader Mudragada Padmanabham has been fighting for the cause.
TDP has finally moved the bill in the legislative assembly. The government has announced 5% reservation to Kapus out of the 10% reservations for the economically weaker sections.
This announcement is seen as political stunt ahead of assembly elections to woo community votes as Pawan Kalyan’s Janasena is expected to polarize community votes. In a teleconference, Naidu announced the reservation to the party leadrs. The reservation will be granted to Kapus including three sub-castes. However, center has to approve the bill as it may require constitutional amendment to include Kapus in BCs under Schedule IX since Supreme Court has limited the reservations cap to 50%. With 5% reservations to Kapus, the quota will exceed 50%. TDP has forwarded the bill to center. So, the ball is now in center’s court.
