Indian Caste Politics: Reddy vicious Network in AP
Dr. Abdul Ruff

That caste lines and family lineage dominate Indian politics, administration, police, media and judiciary is not breaking news. No party can win poll by ignoring the caste elements that have percolated in the societal lunges, polluting and poisoning the politics and policies. Sons and daughters and other close relatives like spouses often replace their elders in politics and government just as in business and industries. This is the foundation of Indian democracy that denies due share of nation’s development to all sections of the society.  

But some castes with meager percentage of population in states and at national level control every thing in the country and this fact does not get reflected in the media, controlled by the same phenomenon of castes. In Andhra Pradesh (AP), for instance, the Reddy community with meager percentage of total population dictates terms not only to AP but New Delhi. They play one community against another and rule the state by making adjustment with another important community Rao that also has meagre population. So much so, Reddys have assured of top slots in government including Chief-minister's post by virtue of being manipulative Reddys.

The Reddy community that has less than 5 percent  population in AP has, over decades, established strong networks in the state as well as in the country for promotion of the  caste people and they have entered by bargain the key political parties like Congress and BJP.  Reddys are readily pampered by the Indian state in USA and elsewhere. In politics and government, including judiciary, police and bureaucracy, Reddy community dominates. They almost control the AP media.

The Reddy community operates in unison and promotes the exclusive interests of their caste in the state, nation and abroad. And Indian regime supports those immoral caste promotional designs. If Reddy is not in power, then, the community networks play dirty tricks to make the leaders choose a Reddy as their CM. This caste outfit has even made a Reddy Indian president.In neighboring states like Karnataka Reddys are engaged in illegal operations alike mining.

In AP, Reddys want a Reddy to be the CM of the state and at least a minister at the centre. Leading political outfits in the state promoted the Reddy for political purposes of controlling other castes. Congress MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy says as a Reddy community guy and a son of former AP chiefminister, he deserves special treatment by the country and Congress party that rules the nations with help from like-minded parties. Recently Reddy announced his decision to resign from the party and Lok Sabha alleging that the Congress 'humiliated' his family. Reddy possibly had expected to replace the CM who recently was asked to resign to make room for another Reddy.

The powerful Reddys have assumed that only their families can rule the state. Indeed, an extremely ambitious media guy Jagan wanted to quickly occupy CM seat and claimed that 150 MLAs had supported him to succeed his father, then chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy who died in a helicopter crash in September last year. Since a non-Reddy K. Rosaiah was chosen as CM after the death of YR Reddy, Reddy might have felt fish out of water. Jagan has been running a defiant campaign since the leadership turned down his claim for the chief minister's post since after his father's death. The young MP has been targeting K. Rosaiah and forced him to step down as chief minister last week. However, Jagan could not replace him as CM as he had planned.

Fourteen months after Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy died in a helicopter crash, his son Jaganmohan Reddy resigned from the Congress and from parliament. Jagan's mother Vijayalakshmi also quit the Congress as well as her Andhra Pradesh assembly seat. Alleging that he and his family were insulted by the party on several occasions since the death of his father, Jagan said he had no other option. Jagan's move to quit the party came at a time when the leadership was planning to take disciplinary action against him for using his  television channel and media network to attack Sonia Gandhi. "I and my mother are resigning from the primary membership of the Congress party." he said.

Reddys believe Telengana is a potential weapon to achieve what they want in AP, India and abroad. Jaga plays his card that way. He perhaps thinks if Congress party loses one MP in parliament, it would be bullied to support him to become AP CM. the party lured his uncle Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy away with a ministerial post.

Telengana campaign was originally initiated by former AP CM Chenna Reddy when his position was weakened and he was out of power but with the Telengana power, the Congress party was coerced to consider the “legitimate” concerns of “Reddys and Chenna was back as CM and when actor NT Rama Rao came to power he once again began the Telegana trick to get governor’s post in Tamil Nadu, where he also attempted to molest the then CM Ms. Jayalalitha who had been a charming film heroine. It was possibly that Chenna Reddy was also a victim of spurious dreams about sex by remote gadgets and hence he tried to play the role a villain.... 

Jagan's mother Vijayalakshmi was elected Kadapa district in December last year, on purely sympathy votes, following YSR's death. Both mother and son Reddys now think they alone are the natural choices for CM and central cabinets. Both mother and son Reddys now want plum posts. In order to outsmart Jagan’s manipulative moves for CM seat, last week, the Delhi leadership named a Reddy who was the state assembly Speaker Kumar Reddy as Rosaiah's successor.

Possibly, Jr. Reddy thinks by resigning from the Parliament, he would pressure Congress that does not have majority in the house to concede his prime demand of the CM chair.  However, since he represents Reddy community and appointment of a Reddy as CM itself is a shot in his political arm.

Both Congress and BJP woo the rich Reddy community grown over years arrogant and powerful. But once out of Congress party, the junior Reddy would be nowhere, because he has no support outside Congress party and he would be gone shortly.  BJP cannot make political mileage by embracing another Reddy. It is time India woke up and control the caste networks that control the nation's vital systems and promote only their caste people. Reddys are enjoying too much at the cost of others and they should be shown their place only in accordance with the size of their population.