Krishnaiah settles for Babu bid for poor Kapus

Backward Classes leader R. Krishnaiah has said Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is sincerely working for the uplift of the Kapus who resorted to an agitation recently, seeking their inclusion among the BCs. The Chief Minister was trying to create a quota for the Kapus. Krishnaiah on Monday clarified that while he realized that there were poor among the Kapus who needed to be helped, he was, however, opposed to their inclusion among the BCs. If that were done, the Backward Classes list would lose all meaning. For instance, there were poor people among the Reddys, the Kammas and the Brahmins also. If they were also included among the BCs, there would be no meaning for the quotas. The BC leader further clarified that his interest in politics was to the extent of helping his Backward Classes, and not for political gains. He was TDP MLA because Chandrababu Naidu had said that if his party were voted to power in Telangana, the Chief Minister would be from among the BCs. He had joined the TDP for the sole reason, to help out those in the BC list. If he had wanted power or ministry, he would have become a minister long ago. Then Chief Ministers Chenna Reddy, NT Rama Rao and Rajasekhar Reddy had offered him minsterial positions, but he had not accepted them because his work for the BC communities would be compromised. And if he had wanted to make a career, Krishnaiah said he would have pursued his Group 1, Group 11 or Bank officer positions. But he had sacrificed power and career for the sake of the Backward Classes. At this juncture, if any fresh quota had to be implemented, it should be done as per the Constitution. He pointed out that when the then Chief Minister, Vijayabhaskar Reddy, included the Kapus among the Backward Classes, the move was struck down by the High Court. Krishnaiah made it clear that he was not playing a double game (by being in the TDP which is ambivalent to quota for the Kapus) either.