How caste dynamics power Andhra Pradesh politics: From Kamma-Kapu rivalry to Reddys’ dominance

[Vijay]

While Kammas traditionally back the TDP and Kapus see a chance of better representation with the JSP, the alliance between the parties will test the inter-community rivalry. The Reddys, however, are the most politically influential despite their small numbers.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy addresses a rally for Lok Sabha elections, at Repalle in Bapatla district, Monday, May 6, 2024. (PTI Photo)

Andhra Pradesh, since Telangana was carved out of it in 2014, has seen both regional parties – the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) – enjoy power for a term each.

Community loyalties have been the central point of elections in the state and the upcoming simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls on Monday are likely to be no different. However, the political realignment in the state, among other factors like anti-incumbency and local issues, has made the poll more intriguing. While the YSRCP, which is seeking a second straight term, has gone it alone, the TDP has joined hands with Pawan Kalyan’s JanaSena Party (JSP) and the BJP. The entry of the Congress, which has negligible presence in the state, through Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister, Y S Sharmila, has added another layer of intrigue.

Which way communities sway is likely to be a significant factor in the outcome of the polls. Here are the five influential communities in the state:

Kammas

Though numerically not significant, the community has been fiercely behind the TDP since its inception in the 1980s by former CM NT Rama Rao, known as NTR. Constituting around 6% of the state’s population, the community is concentrated along the coast in Krishna, Prakasam and Guntur districts, and parts of the Rayalaseema region in Anantapur, Chittoor and Tirupati districts.

Some of the tallest leaders of Andhra politics like NTR, Chandrababu Naidu belong to the community, which is seen to be at loggerheads with the Kapus, who numerically outnumber them.

Kapus

At 18% of Andhra’s population, Kapus are numerically the largest community in the state. While sub-classes of the community, constituting 15% of Kapus, fall under the general category, the remaining come under Backward Classes. Kapus are concentrated mainly in coastal Andhra’s East and West Godavari districts.

The community, which has a long-standing grouse with the state’s political parties over their disproportionate representation, has found new impetus JSP chief Pawan Kalyan entry into the political arena. Traditionally opposed to the Kammas, the Kapus this time are seen to be rallying behind the TDP given its alliance with the JSP.

However, coordination issues between the allies persist. A senior JSP leader said, “The new generation is firmly behind TDP candidates but the older generation (those above 35) are still finding it difficult to back a candidate of a community they have been taught to oppose.”

Apart from Kalyan, prominent Kapu leaders include Deputy CM Muthyala Naidu and state minister Botsa Satyanarayana.

Reddys

The community, despite its small population, is seen as the most politically influential given their historical occupation as landlords. Making up only 7% of the state, the community has given the most number of CMs since its formation in the 1950s, including stalwarts like Y S Jagan Reddy, Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, Kasu Brahmananda Reddy, Marri Chenna Reddy and Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy.

Jagan is the most prominent leader from the community, which has a significant presence in the coastal Nellore district and parts of Rayalaseema in Kadapa and Chittoor districts. Other influential leaders include Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy and V Vijayasai Reddy of the YSRCP, Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy of the TDP, and state Congress chief Y S Sharmila Reddy.

Minorities

The upcoming election is seen to be hinged upon which way this chunk of the electorate votes. Constituting around 17% of the state’s population, Christians are seen to be firmly behind the YSRCP while Muslims are divided between the TDP and YSRCP.

Muslims constitute around 7% of the state population and Christians 10%. However, many Christians do not declare their religion for the fear of losing their Scheduled Caste status and unofficial estimates peg their population at 12%.

However, with the TDP aligning with the BJP, the party’s Muslim base seems to have shrunk. “In Muslim concentrated areas, people are against us bringing the BJP flag for campaigning too,” said a TDP leader in the Vijayawada West Assembly seat, where Muslims have a sizeable presence. The TDP has left the seat to the BJP, which has fielded former Union Minister Y S Chowdhary from here.

Another TDP insider pointed out that at a joint TDP-JSP-BJP event in Rayalaseema, where 24 Muslim leaders were called on to the dais, only six turned up as the rest did not want to be seen sharing the stage with the BJP.

The communities are spread across the state but are seen to be concentrated in Rayalaseema’s Kadapa and Kurnool districts and the coastal Nellore and Bapatla districts. Jagan and Sharmila are among the prominent Christians leaders while YSRCP’s Deputy CM Amzath Basha and Mustafa Sheikh are high-profile Muslim leaders.

Scheduled Castes

The community makes up about 17% of the state’s electorate and is primarily divided between Mala (around 8%) and Madiga (around 8.5%) sub-classes.

Malas and Madigas are seen to be at loggerheads with each other over the internal reservation issue and are considered traditional voters of the Congress. Since the inception of the TDP, they were seen to be split between the Congress and the TDP. After the decline of the Congress in the state, they are said to be firmly behind the YSRCP. However, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi promising internal reservation for the Madigas, a part of the community votes is likely to consolidate in favour of the NDA.

Some of the tall leaders from the community, seen to be concentrated in coastal Andhra, include Sake Sailajanath of the Congress, Nandigama Suresh of the YSRCP and Nakka Anand Babu of the TDP.

Key groups in Telangana

In neighbouring Telangana, Backward Classes, Scheduled Tribes and Castes, and minorities comprise more than 85% of the population.

Backward Classes, who make up 52% of the population, include Gouds, Yadavas, Munnurukapus and Padmashalis. They are the most influential group in terms of electoral impact, particularly in rural constituencies.

The SCs, comprising 17.53% of the state, mostly vote enmasse to a single party. The STs, at 10%, are concentrated in Mahabubabad, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Adilabad, Mulugu, and Komaram Bheem districts.

In Telangana too, Reddys are the most powerful community politically despite accounting for just 5% of the state population. Congress CM A Revanth Reddy and state minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, belong to this caste group.

The Velamas, who made up about 2% of the population, are also politically strong. Former CM K Chandrashekar Rao belongs to the Velama community.