In Andhra Pradesh politics, traditional support from Kammas goes to the TDP, while Kapus seek better representation with the JSP. The alliance between these parties will test inter-community rivalries. Despite their smaller numbers, the Reddys wield significant political influence.
Since the division of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh in 2014, both regional parties—the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)—have each enjoyed a term in power.
Community loyalties have been pivotal in state elections, and the upcoming simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls on Monday are expected to be no different. However, with political realignments, anti-incumbency sentiments, and local issues in play, the elections have become more intriguing. While the YSRCP, aiming for a second consecutive term, is contesting independently, the TDP has allied with Pawan Kalyan’s JanaSena Party (JSP) and the BJP. The Congress, with minimal presence in the state, has entered the fray through Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister, Y S Sharmila, adding another layer of complexity.
The direction in which communities lean will likely significantly influence the election outcome. Here are five influential communities in the state:
Kammas:
Despite their small numerical size, the Kamma community has staunchly supported the TDP since its founding in the 1980s by former CM NT Rama Rao, known as NTR. Making up approximately 6% of the state’s population, Kammas are concentrated along the coast in districts like Krishna, Prakasam, Guntur, and parts of the Rayalaseema region in Anantapur, Chittoor, and Tirupati.
Prominent leaders in Andhra politics such as NTR and Chandrababu Naidu hail from the Kamma community, which has often been in conflict with the numerically larger Kapus.
Kapus:
Comprising 18% of Andhra’s population, Kapus are the largest community in the state. A portion of the Kapus, constituting 15%, falls under the general category, while the rest are classified as Backward Classes. Kapus are primarily concentrated in coastal Andhra’s East and West Godavari districts.
The Kapus have historically expressed dissatisfaction with the state’s political parties due to perceived underrepresentation. The entry of JSP chief Pawan Kalyan into politics has revitalized the Kapus. Traditionally at odds with the Kammas, this time Kapus are seen aligning with the TDP due to its alliance with the JSP.
However, coordination issues persist among the allies. According to a senior JSP leader, “The younger generation strongly supports TDP candidates, but the older generation (those above 35) still find it challenging to back a candidate from a community they have been taught to oppose.”
Apart from Kalyan, prominent Kapu leaders include Deputy CM Muthyala Naidu and state minister Botsa Satyanarayana.
Reddys:
Despite their small population size, the Reddy community is considered the most politically influential due to their historical role as landlords. Making up only 7% of the state’s population, the community has produced the highest number of Chief Ministers since the state’s formation in the 1950s, including stalwarts like Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, Kasu Brahmananda Reddy, Marri Chenna Reddy, and Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy.
Jagan is the most prominent leader from the Reddy community, which holds significant influence in the coastal Nellore district and parts of Rayalaseema in Kadapa and Chittoor districts. Other influential Reddy leaders include Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy and V Vijayasai Reddy of the YSRCP, Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy of the TDP, and state Congress chief Y S Sharmila Reddy.
Minorities:
The upcoming election is expected to hinge upon which way this chunk of the electorate votes. Constituting around 17% of the state’s population, Christians are seen to be firmly behind the YSRCP while Muslims are divided between the TDP and YSRCP.
Muslims constitute around 7% of the state’s population, and Christians make up 10%. However, many Christians do not declare their religion for fear of losing their Scheduled Caste status, and unofficial estimates suggest their population is around 12%.
However, with the TDP aligning with the BJP, the party’s Muslim base appears to have shrunk. “In Muslim-concentrated areas, people are against us bringing the BJP flag for campaigning too,” said a TDP leader in the Vijayawada West Assembly seat, where Muslims have a sizable presence. The TDP has ceded this seat to the BJP, which has fielded former Union Minister Y S Chowdhary.
Another TDP insider noted that at a joint TDP-JSP-BJP event in Rayalaseema, where 24 Muslim leaders were invited to the stage, only six turned up as the rest did not want to be seen sharing the stage with the BJP.
These communities are spread across the state but are particularly concentrated in Rayalaseema’s Kadapa and Kurnool districts and the coastal Nellore and Bapatla districts. Jagan and Sharmila are prominent Christian leaders, while YSRCP’s Deputy CM Amzath Basha and Mustafa Sheikh are high-profile Muslim leaders.
Scheduled Castes:
The community comprises about 17% of the state’s electorate and is primarily divided between Mala (around 8%) and Madiga (around 8.5%) sub-classes.
Malas and Madigas are often at odds with each other over internal reservation issues and are considered traditional voters of the Congress. Since the decline of the Congress in the state, they are said to be firmly behind the YSRCP. However, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi promising internal reservation for the Madigas, a portion of the community’s votes is likely to consolidate in favor of the NDA.
Some prominent leaders from the Scheduled Castes community, concentrated in coastal Andhra, include Sake Sailajanath of the Congress, Nandigama Suresh of the YSRCP, and Nakka Anand Babu of the TDP.
Andhra Pradesh, since the separation of Telangana in 2014, has witnessed both regional parties – the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) – each enjoying power for one term.
Community loyalties have been central to elections in the state, and the upcoming simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls on Monday are expected to be no different. However, the political realignment in the state, along with factors such as anti-incumbency and local issues, has added more intrigue to the elections. While the YSRCP, seeking a second consecutive term, is contesting independently, the TDP has formed an alliance with Pawan Kalyan’s JanaSena Party (JSP) and the BJP. The entry of the Congress, which has a minimal presence in the state, through Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister, Y S Sharmila, has added another layer of intrigue.
The direction in which communities sway is expected to significantly influence the election outcome. Here are the five influential communities in the state:
Kammas:
Although not numerically significant, the Kamma community has staunchly supported the TDP since its founding in the 1980s by former CM NT Rama Rao, known as NTR. Making up approximately 6% of the state’s population, Kammas are concentrated along the coast in Krishna, Prakasam, and Guntur districts, as well as parts of the Rayalaseema region in Anantapur, Chittoor, and Tirupati districts.
Prominent leaders in Andhra politics such as NTR and Chandrababu Naidu belong to the Kamma community, which is perceived to be in conflict with the numerically larger Kapus.
Kapus:
Comprising 18% of Andhra’s population, Kapus are the largest community in the state. While some sub-groups within the community (constituting 15% of Kapus) are categorized as general category, the rest fall under Backward Classes. Kapus are predominantly found in coastal Andhra’s East and West Godavari districts.
The community, which has long-standing grievances with the state’s political parties over perceived disproportionate representation, has gained momentum with the entry of JSP chief Pawan Kalyan into the political arena. Traditionally opposed to the Kammas, Kapus are now seen rallying behind the TDP due to its alliance with the JSP.
Reddys:
Despite their small population size, the Reddy community is considered the most politically influential due to their historical role as landlords. Constituting only 7% of the state’s population, the Reddys have produced the highest number of Chief Ministers since the state’s formation in the 1950s, including leaders like Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, Kasu Brahmananda Reddy, Marri Chenna Reddy, and Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy.
Jagan is the most prominent leader from the Reddy community, which holds significant influence in the coastal Nellore district and parts of Rayalaseema in Kadapa and Chittoor districts. Other influential Reddy leaders include Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy and V Vijayasai Reddy of the YSRCP, Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy of the TDP, and state Congress chief Y S Sharmila Reddy.
Minorities:
The upcoming election is expected to hinge upon which way this chunk of the electorate votes. Constituting around 17% of the state’s population, Christians are seen to be firmly behind the YSRCP while Muslims are divided between the TDP and YSRCP.
Muslims constitute around 7% of the state’s population, and Christians make up 10%. However, many Christians do not declare their religion for fear of losing their Scheduled Caste status, and unofficial estimates suggest their population is around 12%.
However, with the TDP aligning with the BJP, the party’s Muslim base appears to have shrunk. “In Muslim-concentrated areas, people are against us bringing the BJP flag for campaigning too,” said a TDP leader in the Vijayawada West Assembly seat, where Muslims have a sizable presence. The TDP has ceded this seat to the BJP, which has fielded former Union Minister Y S Chowdhary.
Another TDP insider noted that at a joint TDP-JSP-BJP event in Rayalaseema, where 24 Muslim leaders were invited to the stage, only six turned up as the rest did not want to be seen sharing the stage with the BJP.
These communities are spread across the state but are particularly concentrated in Rayalaseema’s Kadapa and Kurnool districts and the coastal Nellore and Bapatla districts. Jagan and Sharmila are prominent Christian leaders, while YSRCP’s Deputy CM Amzath Basha and Mustafa Sheikh are high-profile Muslim leaders.
Scheduled Castes:
The community comprises about 17% of the state’s electorate and is primarily divided between Mala (around 8%) and Madiga (around 8.5%) sub-classes.
Malas and Madigas are often at odds with each other over internal reservation issues and are considered traditional voters of the Congress. Since the decline of the Congress in the state, they are said to be firmly behind the YSRCP. However, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi promising internal reservation for the Madigas, a portion of the community’s votes is likely to consolidate in favor of the NDA.
