"Govt misleading backwards classes of Telangana:" BJP's Ramchander Rao on 42% reservation for OBCs in local body elections

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 11 (ANI): Terming the Telangana Government decision to approve 42 per cent reservation for OBCs in local body polls "duping", Telangana BJP President N Ramchander Rao said on Friday that the state government is misleading the backwards classes of the state.
Speaking to ANI, Rao highlighted that although the BJP supported the reservation bill in the state Assembly, the Congress government has failed to follow through.
"They are duping and misleading the backwards classes of Telangana. The 42% reservation for backwards classes in local bodies has been passed in the assembly, with the BJP supporting it. Now it is the state government's responsibility to implement this reservation. The government announced that the ordinance will include a 50% cap, but under the Panchayat Raj Act, there is a legal embargo," Rao said.
The BJP leader also pointed to the government's claim of respecting the 50% reservation ceiling, noting that the legal framework under the Panchayat Raj Act presents a challenge.
"BJP believes the government is trying to deceive the Telangana people... They are now attempting to throw the ball into the centre court, a political move by Congress. They promised, introduced the bill, the BJP supported it, and now Congress must implement it," Rao told ANI.
Meanwhile, the Congress government maintains that it is taking concrete steps to fulfil its commitment.
Earlier on Thursday, Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar announced that the cabinet has advanced efforts to implement the 42% OBC quota in local body elections. The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who directed officials to initiate all necessary measures to ensure implementation ahead of the upcoming polls.
Minister Prabhakar credited Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, for the promise made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which led to this step for OBC reservation.
The government has directed officials to take all necessary steps at the ground level to ensure the implementation of the 42% reservation for OBCs in the local body elections, which will begin immediately across the state.
The minister emphasised that the government is committed to fulfilling its promise, made by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on February 4, 2024, within the promised timeframe of one year."As promised in Revanth Reddy's declaration on February 4, 2024, this promise, from decision to implementation, is being fulfilled within one year. No matter what anyone says, we will deliver on this commitment."
Earlier in March, the Congress-led Telangana government had passed two bills, The Telangana Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (reservation of seats in educational institutions and appointments or posts in services under the State) Bill 2025 and The Telangana Backward Classes (Reservation of seats in Rural and Urban Local Bodies) Bill 2025.
Both bills aim to provide 42 per cent reservation to Backwards Classes, 15 per cent to Scheduled Castes, and 10 per cent to Scheduled Tribes in various educational institutions, local bodies, and government jobs. (ANI)