Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka reaffirmed that the Congress Government and the party are committed to social justice and equitable representation for Backward Classes (BCs) through the proposed 42% reservation. He also blamed the BJP-led Central government for blocking the BC quota Bill, which was unanimously passed by the Telangana Legislative Assembly.
Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan on Thursday, alongside Cabinet colleagues Ponnam Prabhakar, Vakati Srihari, TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud, and others, Mr. Vikramarka said, “We are not just making promises — we are taking action. The Congress government is committed to ensuring quota for BCs. We will fight this battle legally, politically, and morally. Those who stayed silent during our struggle will be remembered for their betrayal of social justice.”
Outlining the sequence of events, he pointed out that the High Court had directed elections to be held by September 30, 2025. “We tried to implement 42% reservation for BCs to ensure elections could be held. To issue GO 9, we conducted a scientific survey and converted the findings into a Bill. The Bill, passed unanimously in the Assembly, is now pending with the Governor. Who stopped the Bill? It’s the BJP government at the Centre,” he charged.
The Deputy CM explained that if the Governor does not act within three months, the bill automatically becomes law. He said the Congress government undertook a scientific and empirical survey to ensure the reservation policy was data-driven, and the entire process — from survey to bill — was completed within a year.
Mr. Vikramarka also accused the BRS government of obstructing BC representation by passing a law in 2018 that capped local body reservations at 50%. “Neither the people nor BC leaders are naïve enough to believe the BRS and BJP,” he said. He questioned the credibility of parties that did not participate in the survey, yet are now making baseless allegations.
“People will not forgive them. The entire Cabinet under Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is committed to granting 42% reservation to BCs. In line with Rahul Gandhi’s vision, Telangana will become a role model for the entire country,” he asserted. “Now, BJP and BRS are attacking us, trying to silence BC leaders and spread false claims. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at their hypocrisy”.
Mr. Mahesh Kumar Goud reiterated that the Congress believes in the judiciary and the rule of law, and said the party will announce its next steps after receiving the official court documents. “Unlike BJP and BRS, who have historically opposed BC reservations and are now pretending to support them, Congress has consistently worked with sincerity to uplift BC communities,” he said.
Mr. Goud also questioned the silence of BJP and BRS leaders during protests and legal proceedings, noting that senior Congress leaders like V. Hanumantha Rao had impleaded in the High Court, while no BJP or BRS leader did so.
Published – October 09, 2025 09:59 pm IST
