The Telangana Congress is facing a difficult decision regarding the implementation of its promise of 42 per cent reservations for Backward Classes (BC) in upcoming local body elections. The party is under pressure as the Telangana High Court has mandated that the polls must be completed by the end of September 2025.
To address this dilemma, the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) convened a meeting. During the meeting, a ministerial consultative committee was formed and tasked with consulting legal experts to find a way forward. Headed by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, the committee includes ministers N Uttam Kumar Reddy, D Sridhar Babu, Ponnam Prabhakar and D Anasuya Seethakka.
The panel is expected to submit its report by August 28, which will then be discussed at a cabinet meeting on August 29. The cabinet will make a final decision and communicate it to the State Election Commission (SEC), which is preparing to issue the election notification in early September.
Also read: Telangana BJP vows to rename Vikarabad as Anantagiri
The three-hour PAC session explored various options to honour the 42 per cent BC reservation promise, which was part of the party's Kamareddy Declaration before the 2023 Assembly elections. A fail-safe measure discussed was to allocate 42 pc of party tickets to BC candidates in the polls, a solution that could help the party save face if the legal hurdles prevent the reservations from being implemented.
The PAC also expressed its "deep dissatisfaction" with the Union government for holding on to two Telangana Assembly bills that would provide 42 pc BC reservations in local bodies, education and employment. The party also criticised Governor Jishnu Dev Varma for not assenting to an ordinance that sought to amend the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, which caps total reservations in local bodies at 50 pc.
The PAC has resolved to take the matter to the Supreme Court, appointing two senior lawyers to argue for a clear timeline for a Presidential decision on the bills. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy favoured impleading in existing petitions already before the apex court rather than filing a new one, believing this would be a more efficient approach. He reiterated the Congress's commitment for the reservations.
Additionally, the PAC discussed the upcoming Jubilee Hills by-election, which is expected to coincide with the Bihar polls in September. The party plans to leverage its welfare programmes — including Rythu Bharosa, loan waivers, Indiramma housing, and ration cards — to maximise support and win the seat from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi.
Follow us
