Hanamkonda: Congress gears up for OBC quota agitation

Hanamkonda: Notwithstanding the efforts put in by the Congress, the State government led by K Chandrashekar Rao turned a blind eye in ensuring 34 percent reservation to the backward classes, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) OBC Development chairman Kathi Venkata Swamy said.

Addressing a press conference at the party office in Hanamkonda on Wednesday, he said that they have left no stone unturned to convince the State government in regard with the justifiable quota for the backward classes, but in vain.

"Heeding to the OBC's demand, the TPCC has agreed to give 50 percent tickets to backward classes in the upcoming municipal elections," Venkata Swamy said, seeking to know whether the TRS and the BJP are ready to do so. He demanded the Central government led by the BJP and the State to take measures to hike the quota for the backward classes with immediate effect.

"Time has come for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who claims himself as an OBC, and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, who made tall promises for the welfare of backward classes, need to prove their commitment by ensuring 34 percent quota for the backward classes," Venkata Swamy said.

The Congress is ready to launch agitations demanding justice for the OBCs by uniting one and all, he said. "Warangal, the epicenter of Telangana Movement, will be once again in the forefront of the agitations demanding justice for the backward classes," he said. The demand is not just for opportunities in elections, education and jobs but also for a rightful share in the contracts such as Kaleshwaram and Polavaram projects, he said.

AICC OBC National Coordinator and Telangana In-charge Prof Prakash Shrawan Sonawane said that Congress would strive hard to exert pressure on the Centre for achieving 34 percent quota for the OBCs.

"KCR, who promised one lakh jobs for youth, had barely provided 35,000 jobs. The Congress is ready to show that there are nearly 2.75 lakh vacant posts in the State," he said, daring the TRS chief for an open debate over the issue.

Accusing the BJP and its subsidiary organisations, and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat of hatching a plan to do away with the reservations in the

country, Sonawane appealed to people to hit back at the designs of anti-backward classes.

TPCC secretaries E V Srinivas Rao, Kothapally Srinivas, TPCC OBC department coordinator Modem Sridhar, Warangal Urban district OBC department chairman Madipally Krishna, U Yadagiri, B Yadagiri, Ashok Goud, K Sadanandam, Muthulingam, Chandrasekharachary and M Veeranna were among others present.