Boycott quota ordinance opponents, says Telangana CM Revanth Reddy to BCs

HYDERABAD: In a politically charged statement, chief minister A Revanth Reddy Saturday urged Backward Classes (BC) leaders to socially boycott individuals who challenge the Congress govt's proposed ordinance providing 42% reservations for BCs in local bodies. Revanth also said the community must stand united to defend what he called a long-overdue and historic measure.Meeting a delegation of BC association leaders led by National BC Welfare Association president Jajula Srinivas Goud, Revanth said: "If anyone goes to court or sends someone to challenge the ordinance, the BC community should announce their social boycott. The BC community must make this clear."Revanth assured that the Congress govt would hire top lawyers from Delhi to defend the ordinance in court and called on BC leaders to act as a shield for the govt. CM slams BRS for ignoring BC communityThe delegation, including BC leaders from various political backgrounds, TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud and a couple of ministers, met the CM at his residence and thanked him for the state cabinet’s decision to go ahead with the ordinance.Revanth accused former BC ministers in the K Chandrasekhar Rao cabinet, including Gangula Kamalakar, V Srinivas Goud, and Talasani Srinivas Yadav, of opposing the same BC quota they once ignored. “When the BRS govt passed the Panchayat Raj Act in 2018 capping total reservations at 50%, these very BC leaders were ministers. Now, at KCR’s behest, they are opposing our move to increase BC quota. What more can I do? I’ll call a cabinet meeting even at midnight for BC welfare,” he announced.Revanth also launched a scathing attack on BJP leaders accusing them of lacking sincerity on BC welfare.The CM reminded that the local body elections were postponed to accommodate the 42% quota and that the high court has given a one-month deadline to finalise reservations. He said a presentation would soon be made to Congress and INDIA bloc MPs on the issue.