Andhra Pradesh Assembly passes law to give reservation to Kapu community

Photo: Chandrababu Naidu exchanged sweets with ministers from Kapu community (Twitter/ANI)

AMARAVATI: The Andhra Pradesh Assembly on Saturday unanimously passed the bill to give 5 per cent reservation to the Kapu community. 

Addressing the Assembly, Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu said: "We held discussions with leaders of Kapu community. They said they don't need a political reservation. Only education and employment reservations are enough. So we proceeded with that."

However, with the allocation of a reservation of 5 per cent to the community, the total reservation exceed 50 per cent making it necessary to get a nod from the central government. 

"We will send this bill to the Centre. We ask them to include this reservation in schedule 9, so that it will become legitimate," the Andhra Pradesh CM said.

This issue of reservation for Kapu community has been pending for over three decades.

Kapu community is one of the major castes in Andhra Pradesh. BC reservations for them was even a poll promise by the ruling TDP. The issue led to a political polarisation of the community between ruling TDP and opposition YSRCP.