Telangana polls: Why Kammas' simmering anger could be an anchor for Congress

The Kamma caste is facing a great existential crisis in Telugu states, as a large section of them feels the survival of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which they see as their political identity, is at risk following the arrest of its supremo N Chandrababu Naidu on September 9.

Kammas had never expected this ugly turn of events. What would happen to the caste pride if Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy repeated the 2019 performance in the 2024 Assembly elections, even if one were to dismiss his ambition to sweep all 175 seats, leaving none to TDP? It is a very disturbing question for many Kammas.

The feeling in the community is that there is no alternative to the TDP in Andhra to bank on, and the formation of a new party at this juncture is unthinkable.

This is the third major crisis in the modern history of Kamma politics. During the freedom movement and for some time after Independence, Kammas survived politically by choosing the Communist party against the Brahmin-Reddy-dominated Congress party. Writing about caste politics of Kammas in 1956, noted political scientist Selig S Harrison said this benefited both and the Kammas and Communism flourished.

Arrival of TDP

However, after the failure of the Communist Party in Andhra Pradesh in the mid-1960s, the Kammas faced a second existential crisis with a minimal role in Andhra Pradesh politics. This stagnant period ended with the arrival of TDP in 1982 under the leadership of NT Ramarao. Kammas owned it. The caste gained parity with Reddys of the Congress in forming the government.

Now, after four decades, something unthinkable has happened. Chandrababu Naidu, who was seen as the personification of caste pride, was arrested allegedly in a corruption case. This has unsettled the community, particularly the Kamma youth.

The situation is more serious in Telangana, where the TDP was not allowed to function after the formation of Telangana state in 2014. Now, the BRS government is not ready to allow even rallies in Hyderabad opposing Chandrababu’s arrest.

State IT minister KT Ramarao openly warned the fans of Chandrababu Naidu against creating a law-and-order problem in Hyderabad by taking out rallies in support of the latter. He declared that the government would not allow Hyderabad to become a platform for a political dispute between two Andhra parties, YSR Congress and TDP, which do not exist in Telangana.

Faced with hostility from the BRS government, and the absence of a political party of their own, Telangana Kamma youth are struggling to find a political expression in one form or the other in the state. Many consider favouring the Congress in the next election as an option.

IT sector backs Naidu

“IT employees conducted a rally expressing solidarity with Chandrababu Naidu in Hitech City peacefully. IT employees staged demonstrations in Pune, Delhi and Bangalore condemning his arrest without a hitch. Why restrictions in Hyderabad alone?” asked K Ramakrishna, an IT employee working for a leading IT firm.

Expressing anguish over the attitude of the ruling parties of Andhra and Telangana towards protests, Ramakrishna said Kamma youth would be forced to take a firm stand to prove that they do matter in Telangana politics and the Congress looks the best choice.

“BRS is ideologically hostile to Kammas. Kammas were projected as enemies of Telangana during the statehood movement ignoring their contribution to the state. The Congress looks as the only alternative and PCC president Revanth Reddy appears to be accommodative compared to the BRS leadership,” Ramakrishna said.

Kommineni Sridhar, also an IT employee, who took an active part in a recent demonstration, said branding all IT employees as Kammas was wrong. “Many IT employees including non-Telugus credit Naidu for the emergence of the IT industry in Hyderabad. This created jobs for lakhs of youth. Hyderabad protests were spontaneous and voluntary. Many non-Kammas also participated in them,” he said.

As there is no alternative to BRS other than the Congress in Telangana, the Congress is expected to benefit from Kamma youth’s anger against BRS.

Congress eyes support

Congress leader and former Union minister Renuka Chowdhury is trying to convince the Congress leadership of the need to garner Kamma support. A couple of days ago, she led a delegation to New Delhi to hold discussions with party leadership.

She met AICC president Mallikharjun Kharge and general secretary in-charge of Telangana KC Venugopal. Other Kamma leaders said the BRS ditched the caste by offering just 5 seats while allocating 11 to Velama, the caste of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao which constitutes less than 1 percent of the state population.

Talking to the media, Kamma Political Joint Action Committee (Kamma JAC) leader G Vidyasagar said Kammas’ support to the Congress had the potential to tilt the electoral balance in favour of the Congress provided it offers adequate representation to the caste.

Claiming that there are 30 lakh Kammas in Telangana, he said the caste holds a trump card in about 30 constituencies; half a dozen of them fall in the Hyderabad city area. “Kamma support is contingent on the Congress gesture,” he said, hoping for a positive outcome.

On the other hand, the Congress is also upbeat over the prospects of Kamma support. “There are two factors that work in favour of the Congress. One, Kammas have a soft corner for PCC president Revanth Reddy as he was a protégé of Chandrababu Naidu. Kammas have a grudge against BRS. It has never found expression in the absence of a strong opposition to the BRS. Now the Congress has kindled hopes among Kammas. These factors bring us closer,” a Congress leader said.

However, Warangal Kamma Sangam leader and advocate Y Aravind was sceptical of a collective decision by Kammas in support of any political party. “It is true Kammas are unhappy with what is happening in Andhra. But it doesn’t mean that they vote en masse for any party. So, far there is no move to take a call to favour any party by Kamma Sangam, let alone Congress,” he said.