Ahead of elections, TDP launched the 'Jai Ho BC' campaign. TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu said that he is committed to taking steps needed for the financial and political empowerment of the Backward Classes (BCs) after his party comes to power in the upcoming elections. However, the TDP’s lists of candidates for the May 13 polls expose the empty promises made to the BC community.

The list of declared BC candidates shows that the TDP has reneged on the promise by not fielding a single candidate from the Yadava community in undivided Guntur, Nellore and Prakasam districts. Yadavas constitute over 50 percent BC votes in these three districts. Each district has 2.50 lakh to 3.50 lakh Yadav voters. However, the Yadavs are angry with the TDP for not giving them tickets to contest the parliament or assembly elections.

In comparison, chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy not only stated that "BCs are 'backbone classes' and not backward classes but also empowered them by fulfilling the promises made to them. Giving a major push to the Yadava community ahead of May 13 polls, YSRCP nominated Beeda Masthan Rao, a prominent Yadava leader hailing from Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore district to Rajya Sabha. Recently, former minister Poluboina Anil Kumar Yadav was declared as party candidate from Narasaraopet constituency.

Continuing its social engineering agenda, the ruling party has fielded Daddala Narayana Yadav, a ZPTC in Prakasam district from Kanigiri assembly constituency against TDP’s Mukku Ugranarasimha Reddy.

Similarly, MLA Burra Madhusudan Yadav has been fielded from Kandukur assembly seat while the TDP denied a ticket to Yadava leader Janga Krishna Murthy from Gurazala constituency. In Chirala, TDP leader and constituency in-charge Madduluri Malakondaiah was almost sidelined by the party while another BC leader Nukasani Balaji, who is a president of Prakasam TDP unit was not given a chance to contest the upcoming polls.

Miriam Srinivasulu, state president of 139 BC castes JAC, wondered whether the opposition TDP did not find a single winnable Yadava candidate in Prakasam, Nellore and Guntur districts? He said TDP’s step-motherly treatment of Yadava community speaks a lot for its commitment towards the community. YSRCP has done justice to the Yadava community by allocating one parliamentary and two assembly seats to the community and it shows the party's respect for the Yadavas, he added.

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