Ponnam Prabhakar: Telangana BJP MPs must resign to press for 42% BC reservation in Ninth Schedule

Hyderabad: Telangana Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Tuesday demanded that BJP MPs from the State resign to pressurise the Centre to include Telangana’s 42 per cent BC reservation laws in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.

‘Resign to mount pressure on Centre’

Addressing the media, Prabhakar said that increasing the BC quota to 42 per cent is constitutionally possible if the Centre shows commitment. “BJP MPs should resign to mount pressure on the BJP-led NDA government to include the reservation in the Ninth Schedule,” he asserted.

Criticism of BJP state chief

The minister lashed out at BJP Telangana president N Ramchander Rao for reportedly stating that such inclusion was not feasible. “Ramchander Rao has shown his true colours once again by saying BC reservations can’t be included in the Ninth Schedule,” he remarked.

Prabhakar questioned how Tamil Nadu’s reservation laws, which increased the total quota beyond 50 per cent, were included in the Ninth Schedule if it was not possible.

Telangana Assembly passed bills in March

In March this year, the Telangana Assembly passed two bills to increase BC reservation to 42 per cent in education, employment and local bodies, and forwarded them to the Centre for Presidential assent.

Prabhakar emphasised that the Bills were backed by empirical data, caste census, Cabinet approval and the Governor’s assent. “If injustice is done to BCs, we will not remain silent,” he warned.

BJP counters minister’s remarks

Meanwhile, Ramchander Rao, in a post on X, accused the Congress government of lacking clarity on BC reservations. “This policy hurts the self-respect of BC communities. BJP alone is committed to protecting BC rights under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership,” he said.

‘Tamil Nadu reservation verdict still pending’

Speaking in Delhi on Monday, Rao criticised the State government for not seeking legal opinion before sending the bills to the Centre. He pointed out that the Supreme Court, in Kesavananda Bharati and IR Coelho cases, ruled that laws included in the Ninth Schedule remain subject to judicial review.

He added that the Tamil Nadu reservation matter was still pending in the Supreme Court and demanded that the Congress government implement 42 per cent BC reservation in the State without linking it to the Ninth Schedule. He alleged that Congress was raising this issue only to avoid conducting local body elections.