Telangana Congress Defers Call on 42% BC Quota in Local Polls
The Telangana Congress is yet to take a decision on the 42% Backward Classes (BC) quota in the upcoming local polls, as directed by the High Court to be held before the end of September. The Public Area Committee (PAC) of the Telangana Congress met on August 23 and formed a ministerial panel headed by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka to consult legal experts.
According to sources, the PAC has deferred its decision on the 42% BC quota in local body polls and has instead handed over the matter to the ministerial committee, which must submit its report by August 28. The committee’s report will then be tabled in the Cabinet, which will take a final decision on the issue.
The dispute over the 42% BC quota in local body polls has been ongoing for some time now, with the Telangana Congress and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) having different views on the matter. The Congress party has been demanding that the quota be implemented in the local polls, citing the High Court’s order, while the TRS has been opposing it.
The Telangana High Court had earlier directed the State Election Commission to reserve 42% of the total seats in local bodies for Backward Classes candidates. The court’s order was passed in response to a petition filed by a group of BC leaders, who had sought reservation of seats for BC candidates in local bodies.
The Telangana Congress has been demanding that the TRS government implement the 42% BC quota in the local polls, citing the High Court’s order. The party has also been accusing the TRS government of trying to delay the implementation of the quota.
However, the TRS government has been opposing the 42% BC quota, citing the fact that the Telangana State Backward Classes Commission (TSBCC) has not recommended any quota for BCs in local bodies. The TSBCC had recommended 12% reservation for BCs in local bodies, but the High Court had directed the State Election Commission to reserve 42% of the total seats for BC candidates.
The Telangana Congress has been criticizing the TRS government for its opposition to the 42% BC quota, saying that the government is trying to deny BC candidates their due share of representation in local bodies. The party has also been accusing the TRS government of trying to delay the local polls, citing the ongoing controversy over the 42% BC quota.
The PAC meeting on August 23 was attended by senior Congress leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Home Minister Mohd. Mahamood Ali, and Minister for BC Welfare Gangula Kamalakar. The meeting was also attended by several other Congress leaders, including MLA’s and MLC’s.
The PAC meeting was convened to discuss the 42% BC quota in local body polls and to decide on the Congress party’s stand on the issue. However, the meeting decided to defer its decision and instead handed over the matter to the ministerial committee, which will submit its report by August 28.
The ministerial committee, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, will consult legal experts and other stakeholders to decide on the 42% BC quota in local body polls. The committee’s report will then be tabled in the Cabinet, which will take a final decision on the issue.
The Telangana Congress has been seeking to capitalize on the controversy over the 42% BC quota in local body polls, saying that the TRS government is trying to deny BC candidates their due share of representation in local bodies. The party has also been accusing the TRS government of trying to delay the local polls, citing the ongoing controversy over the 42% BC quota.
The TRS government, on the other hand, has been opposing the 42% BC quota, citing the fact that the Telangana State Backward Classes Commission (TSBCC) has not recommended any quota for BCs in local bodies. The government has also been saying that the High Court’s order is not binding on the State Election Commission, and that the commission has the discretion to decide on the reservation of seats for BC candidates.
The controversy over the 42% BC quota in local body polls is likely to continue in the coming days, with both the Telangana Congress and the TRS government refusing to budge from their respective stands. The Telangana High Court’s order has created a sense of uncertainty among BC leaders and candidates, who are seeking reservation of seats for BC candidates in local bodies.
As the Telangana Congress and the TRS government continue to spar over the 42% BC quota in local body polls, it remains to be seen how the controversy will be resolved. The High Court’s order has created a sense of uncertainty among BC leaders and candidates, who are seeking reservation of seats for BC candidates in local bodies.
