Last Update: February 27, 2023, 10:46 IST
The political commentator further said that KCR would play the Ambedkar card as a matter of ‘self-respect for the Dalit’, although such an approach might anger certain sections in the upper caste. (Image: Twitter/File)
While CM K Chandrasekhar Rao expects 10% of the total electorate to be united in favor of the BRS as Muslims; A political commentator said that by implementing the Dalit Bandhu scheme, he would get another 10% of the total votes.
In an effort to woo Dalit voters in Telangana, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS)-led government of K Chandrasekhar Rao is constructing a 125-feet tall statue of Dr BR Ambedkar near the new Telangana Secretariat. The statue is made of bronze and its cost is estimated to be around Rs 147 crore.
The state government had also launched several initiatives for the Dalit community, including the Dalit Bandhu scheme, which CM Rao promised to implement across the country if voted to power.
In early 2023, a group of Dalit rights activists who came to study the scheme in Telangana insisted that it should be replicated in Tamil Nadu.
The government provides Rs 10 lakh per family without any bank loan linkage under the Dalit Bandhu scheme to set up a suitable income-generating source. In the year 2021-22, Rs 4,150 crore has been disbursed to the districts to cover about 38,323 Scheduled Caste families. A provision of Rs 17,700 crore has been made with a target of 1500 beneficiaries in the year 2022-23.
In addition, Dalit Defense Fund has been set up to ensure that the Dalit Bandhu beneficiary family who faces an unfortunate event does not suffer financially.
Apart from these, T-Pride is the flagship program of the state to encourage entrepreneurship among historically marginalized groups such as SC and ST communities, women and persons with special disabilities.
The government also provides three acres of agricultural land to landless scheduled caste women, along with provision for creation of irrigation facilities, land development and their agricultural inputs for their continued livelihood.
As the assembly elections are due later this year, the BRS is ensuring that it gets the support of all sections of voters. E Venkatesu, professor of political science at the Hyderabad Central University, told News18, “The BRS (formerly TRS) has been receiving support from all sections of society since coming to power in 2014. In recent times, its main political rival , BJP and Congress have been very active in electoral mobilization of voters. So BRS is not taking anyone’s cooperation lightly. The political corridors in the state are congested. Other parties like YSRTP and BSP have been appealing to Dalits and backward classes The pink party has initiatives like Rythu Bandhu scheme for farmers and KCR kit for women. Now, it is targeting Dalit voters. BRS knows that only 2-3% tilt in Dalit vote bank to win seats. can heavily affect the numbers.
Political commentator Palavai Raghavendra Reddy said the BRS is leaving no stone unturned to defend its fort. “After consolidation of Muslim votes in favor of his party, KCR would be hoping that this approach would consolidate Dalit votes in favor of BRS. Shaadi Mubarak is a hit scheme among poor Muslims, and lakhs of them are extending their support to BRS and KCR because of such welfare initiatives. While he expects 10% of the total electorate to be as strong in favor of the BRS as Muslims; By implementing the Dalit Bandhu scheme, he will get another 10% of the total votes.”
He further said that KCR would play the Ambedkar card as a matter of “self-respect towards the depressed classes”, although such an approach might irk certain sections in the so-called upper class communities. Add to this 15% of the total votes in the form of women and farmers to this 20%, which KCR is expected to cast in favor of the BRS, the ruling party will sit within striking distance of winning another term in Telangana.
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