YS Sharmila wants caste survey in Andhra Pradesh, says BJP promised so in 2017

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president YS Sharmila emphasised her party’s commitment toward “development of backward classes” and called for a caste census in the state.
Sharmila, addressing the issue of caste representation in Andhra Pradesh, urged Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to carry out a caste-based survey in the state.
She said her party remained committed to the welfare of the backward classes, the largest population group in the country, and stressed the importance of distributing resources based on caste to ensure justice for these backward classes.
In her address, Sharmila praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a source of pride for the backward classes but criticised his leadership. She claimed that the community has not benefited significantly under his government.
She also referred to a 2017 promise made by senior BJP leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to conduct a backward class caste census. She then accused the BJP of backtracking on the promise.
Sharmila further accused the BJP of being a party that prioritises upper-caste interests, and not supporting the backward classes.
The APCC chief’s call for caste census comes at a time when the neighbouring state of Telangana has already begun data collection for a caste-based survey.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has been frequently calling for a caste survey across the country. Karnataka is the only state in India that has conducted a caste survey so far.