BCs Demand 42% Reservation In MPTC, ZPTC Elections

Hundreds of members from the Backward Classes (BCs) today staged a rally in Hyderabad, and demanded that the MPTC and ZPTC elections be conducted only after a 42% reservation for BCs was legally implemented.

The rally began at Liberty Square and proceeded to the Dr B R Ambedkar statue at Tank Bund. National BC Welfare Association Executive President Ryaga Arun Kumar and State BC Welfare Association Working President Neela Venkatesh led the rally.

Addressing the gathering at the Ambedkar statue, Rajya Sabha MP and National BC Welfare Association President R Krishnaiah urged the government to respect the sentiments and long-standing movements of the BC community.

He alleged that the Congress government had repeatedly promised over the past two years to conduct elections only after enhancing the reservation, but went ahead with the gram panchayat and municipal elections without doing so. He warned the government that the BCs would continue their agitation until the government increased the BC reservation to 42%.

Krishnaiah pointed out that despite the alleged injustice, BCs secured 61% of the municipal chairperson posts, 58% of the seats in corporations and 53% of the seats in municipalities.

He welcomed and thanked CM Revanth Reddy and TPCC President B Mahesh Kumar Goud for acknowledging the community's representation. He also said that GO No 9 issued by the government was constitutional and expressed hope of winning the case in court.

He demanded that elections be held only after the court delivered its verdict.