Can Kamma Plus Kapu Create a Sensation?

AP is known for its caste dynamics. This is not a new one and the same has been the situation since independence. The dynamics were even more evident when the state was divided from the combined Madras state. There was a clear political division between the Reddy and Kamma communities. With the help of other communities, Reddys ruled the combined state without opposition for three and a half decades.

Unhappy with the Reddy dominance, the Kamma community achieved its own existence in 1983 when TDP came to power. For the past forty years, we have been seeing a division between Reddys and Kammas. There are a few other influential communities in the state.

The population of the communities is high. Many say that the dominance, strength, and strategies followed by the two communities kept the other communities away from power. The Kapu power issue took birth after the Kamma community came to power. When the opinion was shaped and getting momentum in 1986, Vangaveeti Ranga and others were at the Centre point.

Ranga received massive support from the Kapus. He became a ray of hope for the strong community in AP and Telangana by holding Kapunadu meetings. He was brutally killed in 1988. Since then, the request has been burning among Kapus.

Later a few personalities tried to represent Kapus. However, only a few were successful as the community strength did not meet the political equations. Earlier all the communities worked in Congress. With the Kamma community getting a new identity, Kapus started questioning why they couldn't do it given their population advantage.

Since the combined AP, Kapus have been walking with the Congress party. The societal situations in the Kostha region should be seen as a reason. It is said that Kapus was with Congress due to the Kapu vs Kamma situation in many regions. While Telugu Desam supported Kammas, Congress became the strength of Kapus. Barring one or two situations, Kapus did not support after TDP was formed.

In the initial days of NTR’s Telugu Desam Party formation, Chandrababu in 2014 received support from the Kapu community. In many situations that happened during the time, Kapus supported the Congress. In the 2019 elections, Kapus supported the YCP. In the 2024 polls, a big effort was made to bring Kamma and Kapu communities together.

Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan is the reason for this. He brought a new combination as far as the communities are concerned. Trying to dethrone the YCP with the Kamma and Kapu communities is his strategy. Chandrababu Naidu has the same strategy. There is an analysis that Kapus are supporting the alliance with this.

Many say that this has an impact on the Godavari districts, Krishna, and Guntur districts. This might even change the equations in North Andhra regions. Kamma plus Kamma plus other communities is said to be the societal base of the alliance.

YCP has traditional vote banks. SC, ST, and Minorities have been supporting the party. After coming to power, YCP tried to get the support of BCs. With this, it affected the traditional BC vote bank of the TDP.

In the North Andhra Kosta regions, Kapus and BCs are high in numbers. Who can get the big share of votes can decide the election results. While the voting pattern hints that the majority of Kapus might have supported the TDP, BCs support would define who goes to power. Political observers say that we can see a new social landscape if Kamma plus Kapu and the BC majority get together.