HYDERABAD: Though the official notification for the Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs) elections is set to be issued on Thursday, a legal cloud continues to hang over the polls due to the pending high court verdict on the reservation policy, creating uncertainty among candidates and parties alike.
The main concern lies in the legal challenge to GO 9, issued in August this year providing 42% reservations to Backward Classes (BCs) in local body elections.
The Telangana High Court posted the case to Thursday for further hearing, leaving all stakeholders in a state of anxious anticipation. On Wednesday, hundreds watched the court proceedings live-streamed on a YouTube channel run by one of the petitioners.
The viewers included Panchayat Raj & Rural Development Minister Danasari Anasuya alias Seethakka, which highlights the political significance the case holds.
Several senior Congress leaders, particularly those from BC communities, including ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, Vakiti Srihari, Konda Surekha, veteran leader V Hanumantha Rao, MLAs Aadi Srinivas and K Shankaraiah, personally attended the court proceedings, a move widely seen as a show of solidarity with BCs as well as political signalling.
The allocation of reserved seats will significantly influence the selection of candidates for the prestigious Zilla Parishad (ZP) and Mandal Praja Parishad (MPP) chairperson posts.
Sources say political parties, including the ruling Congress, have already zeroed in on probable candidates based on the existing reservation matrix.
One such aspirant is reportedly a protege of a close aide to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who is eyeing a ZPTC seat currently classified as unreserved in the Mahbubabad district. However, party insiders reveal that his candidature hinges on the final court verdict -- any change in reservation status could force a recalibration of plans.
Meanwhile, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) is pushing forward with its election preparations. On Wednesday evening, TPCC chief B Mahesh Kumar Goud instructed all District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents to begin filing nominations promptly from the first day of the election schedule.
Despite the legal uncertainty, political momentum is building. All eyes are now on the Telangana high court, whose ruling will not only impact candidate selection but could also determine the immediate course of the rural polls in the state.
