In Telangana, a significant political promise remains unfulfilled as the state gears up for crucial rural elections. The Congress government's pledge to implement a 42% reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in local body polls is currently in legal and procedural limbo. Despite this, the state's major political parties have reportedly found an informal way to ensure substantial BC representation in the upcoming three-tier panchayat elections.
Legal Hurdles Stall Formal Quota Implementation
The journey to secure a 42% quota for BCs has been fraught with obstacles. In March of this year, the Telangana Assembly passed two separate Bills aimed at increasing BC reservation in both urban and rural local body elections from the existing 23% to 42%. To expedite the process ahead of the polls, the state government took further steps by promulgating an ordinance in July and subsequently issuing a Government Order (GO) in September to enforce the enhanced quota.
However, these measures faced immediate legal challenges because the proposed 42% quota, when combined with existing reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, would breach the Supreme Court-mandated 50% ceiling on total reservations. As a result, the Telangana High Court has put a stay on the Government Order. Meanwhile, the two Bills and the ordinance continue to await the crucial assent from President Droupadi Murmu, leaving the formal policy in a state of suspension.
Parties Circumvent Formally Through Informal Support
With the panchayat elections scheduled for December 11, 14, and 17, and the legal route blocked, political parties have adopted a different strategy. Since these rural polls are not contested on official party symbols, it has allowed the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to extend "informal" support to a large number of BC candidates.
Leaders from across party lines have confirmed this approach. A BJP insider claimed, "If you look at the list of candidates we have supported, you will see that more than 42% are BCs." Similarly, a BRS leader noted that while the exact percentage was unclear, the BC community was the most favoured in their informal endorsements. Congress leaders have asserted that their party is supporting more BC candidates in this election than in any previous poll, aligning with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's promise to offer 42% of tickets to BCs.
Political Consensus and Underlying Tensions
The push for BC representation highlights a rare moment of political unity on a specific demand in Telangana. During a bandh called by BC organisations on November 18, leaders from the Congress, BJP, and BRS were seen protesting together, advocating for the 42% reservation. This solidarity is politically strategic, given the community's electoral weight. As per the state's 2024 caste survey, Backward Classes constitute a formidable 56.33% of Telangana's population.
However, underlying tensions persist. The BJP has raised objections regarding the inclusion of Muslims in the BC-E category, stating that they have been "key beneficiaries" of reservations at the panchayat level. A BJP leader clarified, "We cannot support this. But we are completely in favour of Hindu BC reservations." This stance contrasts with the Congress's vigorous push for the overall 42% quota, while the BJP has remained non-committal on the specific legislative enhancement.
State Congress president Mahesh Kumar Goud reiterated his party's commitment, stating they have tried every avenue to implement the reservation and stand strongly behind BC candidates. State BJP chief N Ramachandra Rao also expressed solidarity, affirming that the BJP has always given prominence to BCs in elections.
The situation presents a complex electoral landscape where legal promises remain unmet, but political pragmatism has led to informal workarounds, setting the stage for a closely watched panchayat poll in Telangana.
