BC quota in local body elections: Telangana CM Revanth Reddy launches scathing attack on BRS, Chandrasekhar Rao for not supporting hike   

Launching a scathing attack on the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) and its president K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has criticised the main Opposition for not supporting the Government in providing 42% reservations to Backward Classes in the local body elections.

“BRS is trying to create obstacles in the passage of Bills paving the way for implementation of 42% reservation to BCs. I am requesting the BRS to cooperate in the passage of the Bills or else people will teach a lesson to the party again,” he said participating in a debate in the Legislative Assembly on Sunday (August 31, 2025).

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The Chief Minister intervened in the debate during the passage of the Telangana Municipalities (Third Amendment) Act 2025 and Telangana Panchayat Raj (Third Amendment) Bill, 2025 passed by the Assembly on Sunday (August 31, 2025). The two legislations capping the total reservations at 50% in rural and urban local bodies had become a burden on the Government for implementation of 42% reservations to Backward Classes.

Even as the Government spared no efforts to secure the Centre’s consent for the two Bills and the Ordinance, some people approached the High Court on local body elections resulting in the court’s order for the conduct of elections before September 30.

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He recalled how the Government constituted the BC Commission entrusting it with collection of data pertaining to the communities. Subsequently, a dedicated Commission was constituted on the instructions of the High Court as BC association president R. Krishnaiah approached the High Court with a plea for it. The Government had also constituted committees at different levels to study the situation in various States before drafting the legislations which were pending clearance by the President.

Referring to the High court’s directive on conducting the elections to the local bodies, he said the Government promulgated an Ordinance removing the 50% cap on overall reservations which was sent to the President by the Governor and awaiting her consent. He suspected that the BRS leaders influenced the Governor in stalling the promulgation of the Ordinance lifting cap on reservations as could be seen from their statements.

The BRS did not participate in the dharna staged at Jantar Mantar in the national capital to mount pressure on the Centre as the party was against the enhancement of reservations to BCs. “Mr. Kamalakar may be in support of the Bills, but Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao, Mr. K.T. Rama Rao and Mr. T. Harish Rao are not supporting the development,” he alleged advising the BRS members not to indulge in claims aimed at creating apprehensions in the minds of the people.

He asserted that the Government had decided to enact a comprehensive legislation lifting the cap on reservations as the Centre had not given its consent to the Ordinance submitted to the Governor. The Chief Minister recalled he had addressed five letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his appointment to impress upon him the need to enhance reservations to BC communities, but in vain. He was prepared to lead an all party delegation to the Prime Minister if the latter had given an appointment.