No Local Polls Till BC Quota Hiked, Says Congress

Hyderabad: The Congress has resolved that the state government should not proceed with local bodies in Telangana until 42 per cent reservations for Backward Classes were achieved.

At the extended executive meeting of the TPCC held at Gandhi Bhavan on Monday, leaders decided to mount pressure on the Central government for clearing the pending BC quota Bills with President Droupadi Murmu and on the Governor for approval of the Panchayat Raj Act amendment that enables the enhanced quota.

The meeting concluded that both the BJP and the BRS were responsible for obstructing the 42 per cent quota and directed party cadre to take this message to the public. It has also decided to intensify preparations for the upcoming Jubilee Hills Assembly bypoll, beginning in October.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said the Congress government had already spent 99,529 crore on welfare schemes, with detailed constituency-wise reports on beneficiaries to be released soon. He urged party leaders to reach every household with this information.

Highlighting development, he said 16,000 km of roads were being laid in one year. He said the BRS had collapsed due to corruption and misrule, while the Congress was gaining strength through good governance.

Bhatti described the state’s financial situation inherited from the BRS as a house looted by thieves. He said Congress simultaneously stabilised finances and fulfilled promises. Under the housing programme, 4.5 lakh Indiramma houses are being built with an outlay of 22,500 crore.

Monthly free fine rice is being supplied, and under the 2 lakh crop loan waiver, 21,000 crore was credited to banks in three months. Farmers have also received 9,000 crore under Rythu Bharosa within nine days, apart from crop insurance and a 500 per quintal paddy bonus.

Landless poor are getting 12,000 annually under Indiramma Athmeeya Bharosa. Free bus travel for women, implemented in the first hour of government formation, has seen over 200 crore journeys so far, with Rs 7,000 crore reimbursed to RTC.

Farmers are receiving free 24x7 power for 29 lakh pump sets, costing 12,500 crore in subsidies annually. Health cover under Aarogyasri has been doubled to 10 lakh, while women SHGs received 21,600 crore in the first year as interest-free loans, with a target of creating one crore women millionaires in five years.

TPCC chief B Mahesh Kumar Goud stressed that all communities in Congress stand united for BC reservations and that Telangana’s welfare model had become a national example.

AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan said the party was determined to implement the Telangana model across the country. She underlined that the government would not proceed with local elections until 42 per cent reservations for BCs were ensured and announced that campaigning would now shift focus to the Jubilee Hills bypoll.