Amid Oppn Furore, Cong Pledges 42% Seats For BCs In Local Polls

Hyderabad: A heated debate erupted in the Telangana Assembly over the caste census conducted by the Congress government, with the ruling party clashing fiercely with opposition parties, BJP and BRS. Both opposition parties criticised the survey, calling it "bogus" and alleging that the Backward Classes (BC) population was deliberately underrepresented. In response, the Congress government strongly defended the census, asserting that the data is accurate and transparent.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, in a spirited address to the Assembly, dismissed the opposition's allegations and turned the tables by challenging the BJP and BRS. He announced that the Congress would allocate 42 per cent of tickets to BC candidates in the upcoming Panchayat and MPTC elections and demanded that the opposition parties do the same. He further emphasised that providing 42 per cent constitutional reservations for BCs would require a constitutional amendment, but in the absence of such a provision, Congress was willing to take proactive political steps.

Earlier in the day, the Telangana Cabinet approved the caste census report, which was subsequently tabled for discussion in a special Assembly session. During the debate, CM Revanth Reddy launched a scathing attack on former CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) and his family, alleging that they, along with several BRS leaders, had refused to submit their details in the caste census. He even read out names in the Assembly, questioning why leaders, including BJP MP DK Aruna, had not participated in the survey.

As the Assembly witnessed intense verbal exchanges, Revanth Reddy challenged the BJP and BRS to commit publicly to allotting 42 per cent of their local election tickets to BCs. He argued that while constitutional changes were necessary for legal reservations, political commitment should reflect inclusivity in local governance. The challenge has now put the opposition in a tight spot, with political analysts awaiting their response in the run-up to local

body elections.