Madiga community MLAs demand berth in Telangana cabinet

In a letter to AICC Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, the Madiga community MLAs reminded about the Chevella Declaration and the SC categorization bill passed by the Telangana Assembly.

Hyderabad: After BCs and other communities, the MLAs from Madiga community have urged the All India Congress Committee (AICC) to appoint a Minister from the community in the ensuing cabinet expansion.

In a letter to AICC Chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday, the Madiga community MLAs reminded about the Chevella Declaration and the SC categorization bill passed by the Telangana Assembly.

The five MLAs, including Mandula Samuel (Thungaturthy), Vemula Veeresham (Nakrekal), Kavvampally Satyanarayana (Manakondur), Adluri Laxman (Dharmapuri) and Thota Laxmikantha Rao (Jukkal) said despite forming nearly two-thirds of the SC population in Telangana, the community representation in key positions was minimal.

In the current allotment of portfolios, the Deputy Chief Minister and Speaker positions were held by members of the Mala community. Only one cabinet post has been allotted to a Madiga sub caste, representing one percent of the SC population. In contrast, the major Madiga community, comprising nine percent remained without meaningful cabinet representation, they stressed.

In a video, which is going viral on social media platforms, Mandula Samuel said Health Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha and Station Ghanpur Kadiam Srihari were not genuine Madigas but were members of a sub caste. “We are genuine Madigas,” he said while speaking to media persons.