The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is a national level political party in India that was formed to represent Bahujans, referring to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes (OBC), along with religious minorities. According to Kanshi Ram, when he founded the party in 1984, the Bahujans comprised 85 percent of India's population, but were divided into 6,000 different castes. The party claims to be inspired by the philosophy of Gautama Buddha, B. R. Ambedkar, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Narayana Guru, Periyar E. V. Ramasamy and Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj. Kanshi Ram named his protégée, Mayawati, as his successor in 2001. The BSP has its main base in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh where it was the second-largest party in the 2019 Indian general election with 19.3% of votes and third-largest in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election with 12.88% of votes. Its election symbol is an elephant which is the same symbol historically used by Dr. Ambedkar's Scheduled Castes Federation.
Other Backward Class is a collective term use Government of India to classify castes which are educationally or socially backward. It is one of several official classifications of the population of India, along with General castes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The OBCs were found to comprise 52% of the country's population by the Mandal Commission report of 1980, and were determined to be 41% in 2006 when the National Sample Survey Organisation took place. There is substantial debate over the exact number of OBCs in India; it is generally estimated to be sizable, but many believe that it is higher than the figures quoted by either the Mandal Commission or the National Sample Survey.
Madiga, also known as Maadiga, Maatangi, Makkalu and Mahadiga, are an artisan community. They mainly live in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka, with a small minority in Tamil Nadu.
Kapu refers to a social grouping of agriculturists found primarily in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Kapus are primarily an agrarian community, forming a heterogeneous peasant caste.
Sardar Gouthu Latchanna was a veteran freedom fighter from India.
Reservation is a system of affirmative action in India that provides historically disadvantaged groups representation in education, employment, government schemes, health, insurance, banking, foreign higher education, scholarships and politics. Based on provisions in the Indian Constitution, it allows the Union Government and the States and Territories of India to set reserved quotas or seats, which lower the qualifications needed in exams, job openings, university admissions, scholarships, loan approval, promotions etc. for "socially and educationally backward citizens."
Telaga is a community of agriculturists (Kapus) in the Coastal Andhra Pradesh, concentrated in the West and East Godavari districts. They are also found in smaller numbers in Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts. Telaga is regarded as a subcaste of Kapu.
Forward caste is a term used casually in India to denote castes which are on average considered ahead of other castes economically and educationally. Forward castes account for about 30.8% of the population based on Schedule 10 of available data from the National Sample Survey Organisation 55th (1999–2000) and National Sample Survey Organisation 61st Rounds (2004–05) Round Survey.
In India, a caste is a social group where membership is decided by birth. Castes often have related political preferences. Broadly, Indian castes are divided into the Forward Castes, Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes, though Indian Christians and Indian Muslims can also function as castes.
General elections were held in India between 25 October 1951 and 21 February 1952. They were the first elections to the Lok Sabha after independence in August 1947. It was conducted under the provisions of the Indian Constitution, which was adopted on 26 November 1949. Elections to most of the state legislatures took place simultaneously.
In India, a number of political positions and university posts are held for specific groups of the population, including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and women in some cases.
Tulla Devender Goud is an Indian politician from Telugu Desam Party. He founded the Nava Telangana Praja Party (NTP) to fight for separate statehood for Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh but later returned to his parent outfit.
Ryaga Krishnaiah, known as R. Krishnaiah, is current Member of Parliament from Rajya Sabha of YSR Congress Party from 2022.
Bokka Sri Atchuthananda Swamy, well known as B.S.A. Swamy, was an Indian judge and social justice activist who spent his life striving for the upliftment of downtrodden sections of Andhra Pradesh people, particularly Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes through social justice and reservations in politics, judiciary, jobs and education.
Kambalapadu Ediga Madanna, well known as K.E. Madanna, was a social activist and political leader who fought against the Rayalaseema factionists and forward castes dominations in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh in India to bring social change and political awareness among the oppressed and weaker sections of the Rayalaseema people, particularly among Backward Castes, Muslims, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes during both pre-independence and post-independence period of India.
Kunduru Jana Reddy కుందూరు జానారెడ్డి is an Indian politician. He was the leader of opposition in first Telangana Assembly and served as the Minister for Panchayat Raj & Rural Water Supply in the State of Andhra Pradesh during its term from 2009 to 2014. He was among the most prominent cabinet ministers of the ruling Indian National Congress (INC) and served as Minister for Home, Jails, Fire Service, Sainik Welfare, Printing & Stationery in the government led by the late former Chief Minister Dr Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy from 2004 to 2009. In 2009 elections he won with a margin of 6214 votes against industrialist turned politician of TDP Chinappa Reddy Tera. In 2014 he won with a margin of 16558 votes over Nomula Narsimaiah of TRS in the year where Congress lost the majority vote. He lost the 1994 elections to TDP candidate Gundeboina Rammoorthy Yadav.
Elections in Andhra Pradesh state, India are conducted in accordance with the Constitution of India. The Assembly of Andhra Pradesh creates laws regarding the conduct of local body elections unilaterally while any changes by the state legislature to the conduct of state level elections need to be approved by the Parliament of India. In addition, the state legislature may be dismissed by the Parliament according to Article 356 of the Indian Constitution and President's rule may be imposed.
Ram Sundar Das was an Indian politician and former Chief Minister of Bihar state. He was a two-time Member of Parliament from Hajipur constituency.
Nallagatla Swamy Das is an Indian politician from a regional party called Telugu Desam Party in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. He was twice elected as Member of Legislative Assembly in Andhra Pradesh during the years 1994-2004 from the Constituency of Tiruvuru, Krishna District.
The Suheldev Bharatiya SamajParty is an Indian political party founded in 2002. The party is led by Om Prakash Rajbhar, former Minister of Backward Classes Welfare, Disabled People development in Uttar Pradesh. The party has its headquarters in Rasra, Ballia district. The party has a yellow flag.
