Hyderabad: Congress leader and Government Advisor Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Thursday accused the BJP and BRS of conspiring to block 42% reservations for Backward Classes (BCs) in Telangana’s local body elections.
Reacting to the Telangana High Court’s stay on the election notification, Shabbir said both parties had misled the public. He recalled that they had earlier supported the same quota. He added that the Congress government passed a Bill twice in the Assembly to increase BC reservations. It was the first legislation introduced after the new government took office.
He clarified that the Bill relied on a report from the BC Commission. The report stated that BCs make up nearly 56% of the state’s population. Therefore, he argued, the proposed 42% BC reservation was based on factual data and supported by constitutional provisions.
42% BC reservation faces legal, political hurdles
Shabbir, who formally joined the case to support the quota, said he attended the High Court hearing along with ministers. He blamed the Governor for delaying the Act’s submission to the Centre. Although the Assembly passed it unanimously, the delay blocked it from replacing older Panchayat Raj provisions. He also said the BJP stopped its inclusion in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.
He further alleged that the BRS filed the court petition that triggered the stay. “Both parties, BJP and BRS, acted together to deny BCs their due share in reservations,” he said.
Shabbir maintained that the Congress had always backed the 42% BC quota. He cited repeated public declarations from party leaders in support of the move. He added that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy would receive a briefing on the court proceedings. Once the full judgment is available, the government will decide on the next course of action.
