The state government seems to have decided to adopt a cautious approach to holding elections to local bodies. Though it announced on Tuesday that it was ready to hold polls at the earliest, chief minister N Kiran Reddy is said to be contemplating holding polls as per guidelines of High Court which ordered that the overall reservation for various communities should not exceed 50 per cent of the seats.
Sources close to the chief minister said Kiran decided on Wednesday not to act hastily on this issue which will have an impact on the electoral fortunes of the ruling party.
“If the government is to follow the court’s direction, it has to see that the reservation for BCs is reduced from 33 per cent as it cannot alter the quota for SCs and STs. But such a move will invite the wrath of the BCs,” a Congress leader said. The government is believed to be mulling over two options. One is to approach the Supreme Court and seek a ruling to increase the quota beyond the 50 per cent limit and the second is to pass an Assembly resolution urging Parliament to amend the Constitution for increasing the upper limit of the overall quota to 60 percent so that the existing quota of 33 per cent for BCs remains intact.
Sources in the government said the chief minister would hold a meeting soon with leaders of various parties and BC associations to find a solution to the problem.
At the same time, Kiran Kumar Reddy will also be seeking legal opinion.
J.Chittaranjan Das, chairman of the OBC cell of state Congress committee, challenged the opposition parties to work for adoption of a resolution by the Assembly requesting the Centre to amend the Constitution to increase the overall reservation ceiling to 60 per cent if the 33 per cent quota for BCs was not to be diluted. It would test their commitment to the political empowerment of BCs, he said.
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