Is 42% BC Reservations in local bodies a political advantage to Congress?

FC Leaders in the Fray as Congress Opts for BC Candidates

Providing 42% reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in local body elections by the Congress party in Telangana may not yield significant benefits for the party in the upcoming polls. As per the Supreme Court judgment, the total percentage of reservations should not exceed 50%, which already includes the current 27% reservation for BCs. Therefore, Congress is unlikely to face any legal challenge regarding the existing 27% of local bodies allocated to BCs.

The Problem of the Additional 15%

The core challenge arises Congress party with the additional 15% component. All political parties are expected to select candidates from BC communities for specific local bodies designated by the State Election Commission. The actual problem for Congress emerges when fielding BC candidates in approximately 15% of local bodies that are designated as open category seats.

Although these elections are technically held on a non-party basis, political parties select and back the candidates along party lines. Candidates are typically picked from the party’s local leaders and cadre by the District Congress Committee (DCC) or Mandal-level committees.

Potential Scenarios

Rebellion by Forward Class Leaders: There is a possibility that some Congress leaders from forward classes may contest the election without the party’s consent. They may disregard the directions of DCC leaders asking them to step down. In such cases, the winning chances of the officially backed Congress BC candidates could be significantly reduced.

Opposition Strategy: Opposition parties can use this situation to their advantage by selecting financially sound candidates with a strong mass following from the forward classes in the open seats. In such cases, the Congress BC candidates may lose the contest.

Context and Legal Hurdle

Pre-Poll Promise: Increasing BC reservations to 42% was a central commitment of the Congress party’s Kamareddy BC Declaration before the state elections. Fulfilling this promise is deemed vital for the party’s credibility and for securing the political support of the large BC population (estimated at 56.3% of the state’s total population).

Alternative Strategy: The Supreme Court’s 50% reservation cap forced the Congress to select the alternative option of fielding BC candidates in the general (open) local bodies. Political observers suggest that BC candidates may struggle to put up a strong fight in the 15% open seats, especially since opposition parties are likely to field candidates from forward communities.

High Court Stay: The Telangana High Court has granted an interim stay on the government order (GO 9) that sought to implement the 42% reservation, directing the State Election Commission to conduct polls under the existing 50% reservation cap. This legal hurdle has immediately derailed the Congress’s strategy for the local body polls. Despite the legal stay, the Congress party is still attempting to demonstrate its commitment to the cause during the election.

The Question of Cabinet vs. Party Announcement

An ongoing debate concerns the manner in which the party’s reservation decision was announced. Political pundits argue that the announcement of the 15% additional BC reservation (beyond the statutory 27%) should have been made by the TPCC president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud, as it was a party commitment, rather than by the Minister for Revenue and Information and Public Relations, P. Srinivasa Reddy, during a cabinet press briefing. This suggests a perceived blurring of the line between party policy and official government decision.

Ravindra Seshu Amaravadi

Editor, Prime Post

Ravindra Seshu Amaravadi, is a senior journalist with 38 years of experience in Telugu, English news papers and electronic media. He worked in Udayam as a sub-editor and reporter. Later, he was associated with Andhra Pradesh Times, Gemini news, Deccan Chronicle, HMTV and The Hans India. Earlier, he was involved in the research work of All India Kisan Sabha on suicides of cotton farmers. In Deccan Chronicle, he exposed the problems of subabul and chilli farmers and malpractices that took place in various government departments.