Etala Rajender Slams Govt Over Local Body Elections

Malkajgiri MP Etala Rajender today lashed out at the State government over the notification for local body elections, and accused it of misleading the people with the promise of 42% BC reservations given that the courts were unlikely to uphold that.

Speaking to reporters at his residence in Kamalapur, Hanumakonda, he alleged that the Revanth Reddy government was "playing a drama" in the name of the 42% quota for BCs.

"What if the court rules it unconstitutional? In Maharashtra, local body elections were canceled by the court after they were held, and candidates who had spent money on campaigning suffered huge losses," Rajender said.

Rajender added that the Supreme Court had earlier struck down similar reservations in Bihar and Maharashtra.

"And what is the objection of the ministers to people approaching the courts? The fact is that the ministers know that it won't stand legal scrutiny, and that is why they do not want anyone approaching the courts," he said.

Calling the quota move a political drama, he alleged that the government was playing with the people's hopes, and advised sarpanch aspirants not to rush into the elections spending, warning them that the elections might not even be conducted.