Vijayawada: Raising a voice of dissent against the TD high command, party leader and Chittoor MP Dr. N. Shivaprasad has stated that it is ignoring SC/ST interests. His criticism, on the day of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary, has led to a discussion among TD seniors. Dr. Shivaprasad alleged that the TD government has not accommodated SCs in Cabinet as per the population ratio. The Chitoor MP’s revolt against party high command was reportedly to register his protest for not recommending his name for the ministerial berth in the Union Cabinet. “The CM’s intention might be that SCs should not raise their voice,” Shivaprasad said.
“Chandrababu Naidu often claims to be the true follower of Sri Krishna Deva Raya and Chanakya. If it is true, he has to find out the feelings and emotions of the people under his rule, which he has been conveniently avoiding,” Dr. Shivaprasad observed. In Andhra Pradesh, SC and ST population is around 25 per cent, and in that case, around five berths are to be reserved for them in the Cabinet, he said and added that the CM had taken only two into the Council of Ministers. Same is the case in Union Cabinet.
When the TD is offered two positions in the Union Cabinet, the two were given to OCs, and in AP also, the Deputy CM position was given to BCs, he said and added that perhaps the CM does not want the SCs to occupy esteemed positions. “This is not my dissent note,” Dr. Shivaprasad said and added that this was the voice of voiceless SCs and STs in the TD party. Dr. Shivaprasad had anticipated a berth in Union Cabinet, being a senior among the existing TD MPs, but his name was even not considered last time. He anticipates the berth this time also, but was reportedly sent signal that in case of any possibility for the TD to have another berth, that will go to BCs.
