Hyderabad: Government Whip Aadi Srinivas welcomed the state cabinet’s decision to provide 42% reservations for Backward Classes in local bodies through an ordinance amending the 2018 Panchayat Raj Act.
Calling it a long-awaited move, Srinivas said the decision fulfilled the promise made in the Kamareddy Declaration. He extended thanks to the state cabinet on behalf of BC communities and described the mood as celebratory, claiming “BC households are in a festive spirit.”
He pointed to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s earlier role in endorsing the BC Bill in the Assembly and said the latest ordinance was necessary due to the Centre’s inaction despite the state already forwarding the legislation for approval.
“The sincerity of the Congress party and Revanth Reddy towards BCs is evident,” Srinivas said, urging BC intellectuals, elected representatives, and leaders across parties to support the ordinance.
He criticised the BJP and BRS for skipping the BC protest held earlier at Jantar Mantar, and said both parties should now publicly acknowledge the Congress government’s decision.
Targeting BRS MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha, Srinivas accused her of celebrating the ordinance without ever fighting for BC rights during her party’s decade in power. “Kavitha garlanding people at weddings won’t link her to BCs,” he said. “She has nothing to do with these reservations. Why didn’t she agitate for them earlier?”
He concluded by stating that even though Revanth Reddy does not belong to the BC community, he delivered where others failed, and that the community “is indebted to him.”