DC Edit | Will Telangana BC Strategy Work?
Revanth Reddy’s move to raise BC reservations from the present 29 per cent to 42 per cent in rural and urban local bodies demonstrates that the party has a chance to realise its leader’s dream
The Congress has paid a heavy price for its historic blunder of failing to see, analyse and reorient itself to the political uprising of the Backward Classes in the late 1980s, which led to its uprooting from the Hindi heartland by the Lalus and Mulayams. The situation only worsened for the party when Narendra Modi achieved what no other politician could in Independent India — the unification of the Hindu community, otherwise fragmented along caste lines.
If Rahul Gandhi’s “jitni aabadi, utna haq” (rights in proportion to population) slogan is an attempt to win back the support of BCs, Telangana chief minister A. Revanth Reddy’s move to raise BC reservations from the present 29 per cent to 42 per cent in rural and urban local bodies demonstrates that the party has a chance to realise its leader’s dream.
Revanth Reddy, an astute politician, saw three advantages in pushing Mr Gandhi’s agenda — winning the goodwill of his party supremo, consolidating his standing among BCs and securing another term in office. He could have had his way but for the Telangana high court’s interim order on Thursday staying elections with enhanced BC reservations.
The court primarily examined the breach of the 50 per cent ceiling on reservations and alleged procedural lapses in fulfilling the “triple test” requirement for enhancement. Mr Revanth Reddy, however, is pinning his hopes on Supreme Court’s observations in multiple cases that the “ceiling limit is not inflexible” and may be extended under “extraordinary circumstances”.
The chief minister has made extensive groundwork for the enhancement of BC reservation by gathering empirical data through an extensive caste survey, appointing a dedicated BC Commission to analyse the data and recommend quotas. He has also secured unanimous legislative backing for the quota hike bill. In fact, Mr Revanth Reddy’s sincerity towards the BC quota earned him praise even from his opponents and prominent BC leaders, such as R. Krishnaiah.
Suppose the judiciary fails to clear the quota hike. In that case, Revanth Reddy has a Plan B ready — allotting 42 per cent of party tickets to BCs. Will it win back the Congress its support of the backward classes? That is the question.
