MPPs, ZPs to come under control of special officers?

Wanaparthy : Although the terms of the Mandal Praja Parishads (MPPs) and Zila Parishad (ZPs) in the district end on July 4, the State government has not initiated the process of installing new members by holding elections to the local bodies.

This has made it clear that the MPPs and ZP are to come under the control of special officers, as indicated by government sources. They point out that if the elections were to be held before the due date, the reservations should have been announced by now.

If the Congress party’s promise of increasing the reservations for sarpanches, MPTCs and ZPTCs after coming to power is to be honoured, the party must raise the quota; otherwise it must face people’s wrath.

This fear is said to be haunting the ruling party. If the Lok Sabha election results to be announced in June are not to the party’s expectations, there is likelihood of a political turmoil. People feel that this may delay the holding of the polls to the local bodies.

If the elections are put off, the regime of special officers will come into picture. Already special officers are running the show in gram panchayats for the past two months.

Meanwhile, the issue of the Backward Classes (BCs) agitating for increasing their quota as per their population is to be tackled before holding the local bodies polls. The Congress’ announcement in its manifesto to take up caste census has given rise to hopes of BCs, who believe that the party would implement the promised 42% quota.

However, doubts remain as to what decision Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy would take in the light of the KCR government amending the Panchayat Raj Act limiting the reservations to ten years (two terms).