The president of Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee, YS Sharmila, on Friday sought YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s resignation if he lacks the “boldness” to attend the upcoming state assembly session. This demand came after the YSRCP announced its decision to “boycott” the session, which is scheduled to begin on November 11.
Speaking to the reporters in Machilipatnam, Krishna district, Sharmila criticized Jagan and his party by claiming that if they do not have the courage to attend the assembly proceedings, they can resign. She made a general appeal to all YSRCP leaders and MLAs asking them to resign if they had no intention of attending the assembly.
In addition to the assembly boycott, Sharmila also raised the issue of caste-based representation in Andhra Pradesh. She called for a caste census in the state to ensure that the Backward Classes (BCs), who form the largest population group in India, receive their due share of resources and opportunities. Sharmila emphasized that the Congress party is committed to advancing the welfare of BCs and reiterated her call for a comprehensive caste census, which would help allocate resources fairly based on caste demographics.
Sharmila also criticized the central government and the BJP for failing to deliver on their promises to the BC community. She recalled how Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had assured a caste census in 2017 but later backed away from that commitment. She accused the BJP of favoring upper-caste interests and failing to support BCs.
Meanwhile, Sharmila acknowledged Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts for the BC community but claimed that the benefits have not been adequately realized. She urged Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to take immediate action for a caste census in the state.
With inputs from PTI.