HYDERABAD: BJP state president N Ramchander Rao on Monday said the ruling Congress lacks moral right to hold a BC public meeting when it has failed to implement 42% reservation for the community. He has alleged that the Congress government is deliberately delaying the process while shifting the blame onto the BJP and the Centre.
Addressing a press conference at the party’s state headquarters on Monday, he accused the government of using the BC reservation issue as an excuse to once again postpone local body elections out of fear of facing severe anti-incumbency.
He questioned why the Congress had not amended Section 285 of the Panchayat Raj Act earlier. He alleged that the government had failed to understand the provisions of the Act, wasted 22 months, and only amended it recently following BJP’s suggestions.
Rao said the BJP had supported the Panchayat Raj Amendment Bill in the Assembly to ensure 42% reservations for BCs, even though Congress leaders continued to accuse the BJP of blocking the measure.
Expressing concern over the long-pending local body polls, he said the process had been delayed for more than 18 months and around `1,600 crore in Central funds were being withheld as a result.