BJP warns Congress govt. against diluting 42% BC quota in local body polls

The BJP Telangana unit has urged the Congress government to conduct local body polls with the legally mandated 42% quota for Backward Classes (BCs) as promised, and warned that “any attempt to dilute it will have consequences“.

Addressing a press conference at the party’s State office on Monday, former MP and BJP vice-president B.Narsaiah Goud alleged that efforts were under way to “cheat” the BC community again under the pretext of legal hurdles.

“Why hasn’t the caste survey data been made public? What is the government trying to hide? We want to know on what basis the 42% quota was fixed for BCs,” Mr.Goud questioned. He wondered whether the Congress party’s promise of 42% BC quota was aimed at influencing the just-concluded Bihar Assembly elections.

“The Supreme Court has clearly stated that quotas can be increased if justified by population data. The law should apply uniformly across all States,” he said and also criticised the government for failing to release ₹20,000 crore annually for BC welfare.

On the Jubilee Hills bypoll result, Mr.Goud said the BJP never viewed it as a referendum on the Congress government. “The ruling party cannot gloat over the victory because it relied on the support of Majlis party. Our party has traditionally not done well in this constituency and does not have a single corporator there,” he said.