BRS eyes Kamma voters: Will KTR call on Chandrababu Naidu ?

Will either KCR or KTR knock the door of Chandrababu Naidu one of these days? Don’t get shocked. They will only be doing it, if they do it, to win over the Kamma votes in Telangana.

With the elections round the corner and the Kammas unhappy over some of the comments that the BRS leaders had made on Chandrababu’s arrest, the BRS top bosses believe that they should call on Chandrababu Naidu to placate the Kamma voters in Telagnana.

Highly placed sources say that KCR might depute KTR to call on Chandrababu. Other sources say that he might ask Kamma MLAs in BRS like Maganti Gopinath and Arekapudi Gandhi to accompany him. The general impression is that the Kamma voters are upset over some of the remarks by KTR on Chandrababu Naidu. Though Harish Rao and others tried to make amends, the Kammas are said to be unhappy.

The BRS has been trying to woo the Kammas for the last several months. Initially, those MLAs and leaders, especially from the Kamma community, were asked to visit NTR Ghat near Hussain Sagar and offer their respects on NTR birth centenary. Similarly, the BRS took the lead in setting up a huge NTR statue in Khammam, another Kamma citadel in Telangana.

The Kamma community is quite influential among the Seemandhra migrants in Telangana. They dominate the political-scape in Khammam, parts of Rangareddy, Hyderabad and Nizamabad. In Hyderabad alone, they play an important role in at least 10 assembly seats.

Hence, KCR feels that getting pally with Chandrababu Naidu is important. Calling him on after his release on bail, would help bring Kammas closer to the BRS, KCR feels. Also, it is important to ensure that the Kammas do not go over to the Congress as the TDP has decided not to contest in Telangana.