Revanth Earns Rahul Praise For Bypoll Win

Hyderabad:AICC leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday lavished praise on Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for steering the Congress to a resounding victory in the Jubilee Hills byelection, party sources said. Gandhi hailed Revanth Reddy for wresting a second Assembly seat from the BRS within the GHMC limits in two years, noting that the emphatic margin of 25,000 votes and the BJP’s forfeiture of its deposit reflected the public’s strong endorsement of the Congress governmen, sources added.

The Congress leader urged Revanth Reddy and the state leadership to maintain the same momentum and collective resolve in the run-up to the local body elections and the crucial GHMC polls. He expressed confidence that under Revanth Reddy’s leadership, the Congress was well-positioned to register sweeping victories in both electoral battles.

With the state government facing legal hurdles in implementing the 42 per cent quota for Backward Classes in the local elections, Revanth Reddy is learnt to have secured permission from the high command to go to the polls under the old reservation framework, while allotting 42 per cent of party tickets to candidates from the community as an alternative means of ensuring substantial representation.

He explained that the government had no viable option but to revert to the older reservation structure, which provided 25 per cent quota for BCs, since the High Court and Supreme Court had both stressed adherence to the 50 per cent ceiling for reservations.

Party sources said Gandhi, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal jad agreed with the proposal, instructing Revanth Reddy to proceed with the elections using the old reservation system and endorsing the plan to give 42 per cent party tickets to BCs.

Revanth Reddy reportedly told the AICC leadership that the Jubilee Hills victory had created a strong pro-incumbency wave across Telangana, making this an opportune moment to conduct both local body and GHMC elections. The decisive win, he said, had energised party leaders and grassroots workers, and the current positive mood would enhance the Congress’ prospects if elections were held without delay.

He expressed confidence that the momentum generated by the Jubilee Hills verdict would carry forward into the next round of polls, enabling the party to secure commanding victories across urban and rural local bodies including GHMC.

The Chief Minister in separate meetings with AICC president Kharge and general secretary Venugopal discussed the political situation in the state and upcoming electoral strategies.

Sources said Revanth Reddy briefed the national leadership on the Telangana government’s plans to conduct local body elections in December and GHMC elections in February next. He also apprised them of the legal complexities that the government was encountering in its attempt to implement 42 per cent reservation for Backward Classes in local bodies.

The High Court, in its directions issued on Friday, instructed the state govermnent to announce the local body election schedule by November 24. Revanth Reddy informed the central leaders that the State Cabinet would meet on November 17 to take a final decision in compliance with the court’s orders.