Telugu Desam Party (TDP) National General Secretary Nara Lokesh announced a two-month-long programme 'Jai Ho BC' to champion Backward Class (BC) community rights across Andhra Pradesh starting from January 4, 2024. The programme aims to create awareness among the Backward Classes (BCs) about the alleged injustices done to them during the YSRCP regime.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, December 29, at TDP Central Office, Mangalagiri, Nara Lokesh said the first phase of the programme will include regular visits to the parliamentary constituencies, assembly constituencies, and mandals where TDP leaders with TDP workers will take detailed notes of the difficulties faced by the BC Community.
This will be followed by a grand state-level public meeting, and subsequently, a special manifesto for the BCs will be released. The objective of the program is to raise awareness and support for the BCs and address their concerns.
Speaking at the press conference, Lokesh said, “After the YSRCP came into power, the Backward Classes (BCs) have been repeatedly mistreated and persecuted. People have been killed and their voices have been suppressed. In addition, the YSRCP government has decreased the BC reservations in local body elections. Around 16,000 people from the BC community have lost the opportunity to contest in the elections.”
Highlighting TDP’s commitment to the BC community in Andhra Pradesh, Lokesh said, late NTR, the founder of TDP, always gave importance to BCs and provided 24% reservation in local body elections. “Later, former Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu increased the reservation to 34%, as the BC community is the backbone of TDP. During Naidu's regime, Rs 36,000 crore was given under the BC Sub Plan. Additionally, Rs 3,000 crore was provided as subsidy loans to 420,000 BC individuals. Further, Rs 1,000 crore was allocated to BCs under the ‘Adharana Scheme',” he said.
Slamming the YSRCP government over their alleged unethical treatment of the BC community, Lokesh said, “The YSRCP government has eliminated 27 Dalit welfare schemes. There have been zero to negligible community development efforts. The government has canceled many BC welfare schemes and taken 8000 acres of assigned lands from the BC community.