Kavitha defends support to proposed ordinance for 42 per cent BC quota

Hyderabad, July 17 (IANS) Defending her support to the proposed ordinance for 42 per cent reservation for backward classes in local body elections, Telangana Jagruthi president and BRS MLC K. Kavitha on Thursday said that her party leaders will have to fall in line with her on the issue.

Kavitha told media persons that she extended support to the state government's decision to bring the ordinance after consultation with legal experts.

Kavitha, the daughter of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) chief and former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), has welcomed the decision of the Congress government to bring the ordinance for increasing the BC quota to 42 per cent.

The Member of Legislative Council defended the decision to issue the ordinance to amend the Panchayat Raj Act 2018. She exuded confidence that the BRS would fall in line with her on the issue in a few days.

Kavitha has been organising programmes under the banner of Telangana Jagruthi, seen as the cultural arm of BRS, ever since she openly criticised some of her party leaders for allegedly leaking her confidential letter addressed to KCR.

Her stand was in variance with the BRS leaders, who slammed the government's decision to issue an ordinance and accused it of betrayal on BC reservations.

Kavitha also stated that the BRS leaders did not condemn MLC Teenmaar Mallanna's derogatory comments on her. Kavitha said she was leaving this issue to the conscience of the BRS leaders.

Mallanna had made the remarks while ridiculing Kavitha for welcoming the decision to issue an ordinance on the BC reservation.

Kavitha alleged that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy bartered away the interests of the State on the Godavari-Banakacherla project and demanded her resignation.

She said Revanth Reddy had claimed that he would not even attend the Chief Minister's meeting in Delhi if the Godavari-Banakacherla project is discussed, but agreed to the constitution of a committee to look into the project apart from other river water issues.

She stated that Telangana will never forgive Revanth Reddy for "sacrificing the rights of the state".

She demanded that the Chief Minister lead an all-party delegation to Delhi, coinciding with the commencement of the Parliament session next week, to bring pressure on the Centre to protect the interests of Telangana regarding the Banakacherla project.

The delegation should also make all possible efforts to ensure early clearance for the Bill pending with President Droupadi Murmu, granting 42 per cent reservations for BCs in education, employment and public life.

Kavitha said the entire drama enacted in Delhi on Wednesday in the name of a meeting of Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to discuss river water issues pointed to ominous signs for Telangana.

"Our Chief Minister denied having discussed Banakacherla. AP Minister for Irrigation claimed it was discussed and that a committee would be set up to discuss the project. Who is lying?" Kavitha asked.

She also alleged that Revanth Reddy and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu had pre-decided to award the Rs 85,000 crore project to Megha Engineering Ltd "for the sake of commissions".

Kavitha warned that Telangana Jagruthi will take recourse to all possible options, including approaching courts, if the Telangana government does not make a sincere effort to stop the project.

--IANS

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