Congress govt misleading people on 42% reservation for BCs in local body polls: Telangana BJP chief Rao

New Delhi: BJP Telangana President N Ramchander Rao has accused the Congress government of misleading the public on the issue of 42 per cent reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in local body elections.

Rao said the government is trying to mislead people just for mere electoral gains.

Maiden visit to Delhi after taking charge

Addressing the media at Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi during his first visit to the capital after assuming office, Rao said he came to seek guidance and blessings from the party’s central leadership to strengthen the BJP in Telangana.

During his visit, he met senior leaders Sunil Bansal, Arvind Menon, and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, and is scheduled to meet BJP National President JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday.

Questions Congress commitment

Rao criticised the Congress for failing to amend Section 285 of the Panchayati Raj Act in the Assembly, which is legally required to raise BC reservation percentages.

“They are trying to divert public attention by bringing up the 9th Schedule without understanding its legal process. Even if a law is included in the 9th Schedule, the Supreme Court can still review it, as clarified in the Kesavananda Bharati and I.R. Coelho judgments,” he explained.

‘Centre being blamed unnecessarily’

The BJP Telangana chief alleged that the Congress was blaming the Centre unnecessarily to cover up its own failures. “They brought the ordinance only after the High Court permitted it. Now they are playing political games to mislead the public,” he said.

Criticises Revanth Reddy’s frequent Delhi visits

Pointing out that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy visited Delhi 46 times in the last 19 months, Rao said, “Despite so many visits, top Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi did not grant him an appointment even once. This is not just an insult to the CM but to the people of Telangana.”

BJP opposes religious-based reservations

Rao reiterated that while the BJP supported the bill in the Assembly, the party is strongly opposed to religious-based reservations. “The attempt to provide 10 per cent reservation to Muslim minorities is nothing but communal appeasement and political drama,” he charged.

Congress deliberately delaying polls

Accusing the Congress government of intentionally delaying local body elections under the pretext of the reservation issue, he said, “Instead of acting responsibly, they are indulging in drama to mislead the BC community.”

Congress and BRS no different

Taking a swipe at both Congress and BRS, Rao said, “They are two sides of the same coin. Both parties attended meetings led by DMK’s Stalin, showing their political alignment.”

Focus on party unity

Rao assured that as the new state BJP chief, he would resolve any internal issues and maintain discipline within the party. “Both state and national leaderships will work together to resolve differences among leaders or workers,” he stated.

Concluding his remarks, Rao urged the Congress to implement the promised 42 per cent BC reservation immediately with legal clarity and transparency instead of indulging in “vote bank politics.”