HYDERABAD: The Congress and the state government are facing flak for what many call an inept handling of the 42 per cent BC reservations issue that led the Telangana High Court to impose a stay on the GO concerned.
At the grassroots level, discontent is brewing. Local leaders are unhappy over the prolonged delay in conducting elections to local bodies, which have been under special officers’ rule for nearly a year and a half. With no elected representatives in place, people have no one to approach for redressal of village-level grievances.
MLAs, too, are growing increasingly uneasy as anti-incumbency sets in with each passing day. The absence of public representatives has stalled developmental activities, leaving legislators directly exposed to public anger.
An MLA from the erstwhile Rangareddy district admitted that the situation was denting the party’s image. “When the Congress came to power in 2023, there was tremendous hope among local leaders. But even after nearly two years, villages have no elected bodies. People are losing patience,” he said.
An MLA from Karimnagar echoed similar concerns, warning that the government’s credibility was taking a beating due to its “shoddy handling” of the BC reservation issue. While the intention — to increase representation for BCs — was laudable, the inability to address the legal hurdles has frozen the entire process. “Now, not just BCs, even SCs, STs, and others are frustrated,” the legislator said.
The MLA added that just two months ago, the Congress seemed poised to sweep a majority of the local body seats. “But the mood has changed. People are growing restless and slowly turning against both the MLAs and the government,” he confided.
A former minister agreed with him, observing that although the Congress had tried to implement 42% BC reservations, the move got entangled in legal complications. “It might be wiser to go ahead with elections under the existing quota system while simultaneously mounting pressure on the Centre to ensure justice for BCs,” he said.
Despite the internal unrest, the party leadership reportedly remains firm on holding elections only after securing 42% BC reservations. However, this stance has left several MLAs jittery, worried that rising public resentment could jeopardise the party’s interests.
Meanwhile, opposition parties have seized the opportunity to attack the ruling party.
Opposition accuses Cong of bungling quota issue
The BJP and the BRS have accused the ruling Congress of “bungling” the issue, alleging that the government’s mismanagement has betrayed the BCs.
The BJP said the delay in elections has deprived local bodies of Central funds. “Thousands of crores of rupees are stuck because the elections were not held. It is a clear example of the Congress government’s inefficiency,” one BJP leader alleged.
According to sources, the state government and the Congress are likely to wait till the Supreme Court’s verdict is out on the three-month time frame imposed on the President and Governors to decide on pending bills. The state is also expected to file a petition in the apex court seeking vacation of the high court’s stay to pave the way for holding the polls with enhanced BC reservations.
