In a politically-significant move with far reaching implications, the Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly on Friday unanimously passed a resolution seeking 33.13 per cent reservations for the backward classes in the state legislative bodies (state assembly and legislative council) and urged the Union government to amend the constitution to this effect.
The resolution moved by the Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy said, "This house unanimously resolves to recommend to government of India to provide 33 per cent reservation to the backward classes in the constituencies of Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly and to bring necessary amendments to the Constitution of India."
Pointing out that backward classes constitute more than 50 per cent of the state population, the chief minister said such an act was necessary to do justice to them.
He expressed confidence that the union government will accept the request at the earliest and give its nod reserving one third of the seats in the state for the backward classes.
The resolution was unanimously supported by all the parties. Leader of opposition N Chandrababu Naidu said his party was very happy to extend its support to the resolution. But he recalled that a similar resolution was passed by the House during TDP rule in 1996 but the Central government did not act on it.
D Srinivas (Congress) who congratulated the chief minister for bringing the resolution said that earlier resolution had many unanswered questions, delaying any decision by the Centre on the issue.
"But this resolution is comprehensive and answers all those questions," he said.
Ch Rajeshwara Rao (TDP) said the resolution should demand such a reservation for the backward classes all over the country. In his reply, the chief minister said the demand was restricted to Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly keeping in view the legal advice of the experts.
Rajeshwara Rao wanted a similar provision in case of 42 parliamentary seats in the state, but the chief minister said it will create legal complications. CPI-M, CPI, TRS, BJP and MIM also supported the resolution.
The resolution was brought by the government in accordance with the decision earlier taken by the cabinet. The move just few months before the next year's elections is being seen as an attempt by the ruling Congress party to keep the backward classes on its side.
The move is also being seen in the context of the emergence of a potential political force in the state under the leadership of Telugu film star Chiranjeevi who comes from the backward class.
Andhra Pradesh was the first state in the country to provide 27 per cent reservations to backward classes in the Panchayat and municipal bodies in the 1980s during the rule of NT Rama Rao.
While all other parties have welcomed the resolution, newly launched regional party Nava Telangana Praja Party said that the move was politically-motivated.
"If the Congress party is sincere about backward classes, it should give the post of the chief minister to a BC," said NTPP founder president T Devender Goud, who is also a BC.
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