Telangana CM Revanth Reddy Calls for United Effort to Secure 42% Reservations for Backward Classes

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has urged all political parties to come together, setting aside differences, to legally establish 42% reservations for weaker sections in education, employment, and politics. He reaffirmed his commitment to leading this initiative, declaring in the Legislative Assembly that he will not rest until these reservations are granted legal backing.

During discussions on two separate bills proposed by BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar in the Assembly, the Chief Minister stressed the necessity of collective political action. He suggested that all party leaders meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to advocate for this cause. Revanth Reddy specifically mentioned that along with Leader of Opposition K. Chandrashekar Rao, all political representatives should visit the central government together to press for approval.

Given that the Parliament session is currently underway, he instructed the Chief Secretary to seek an appointment with the Prime Minister at the earliest. Additionally, he proposed meeting with Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, to present their case and seek his support in Parliament.

Revanth Reddy appreciated the unanimous support for the two bills in the Assembly, highlighting that this sends a strong message of solidarity beyond party affiliations and ideologies in favour of the weaker sections.

Addressing the legal challenges surrounding reservations, he pointed out that the Supreme Court has ruled against exceeding the 50% cap without scientific data. In response, the Telangana government conducted a transparent socio-economic, educational, employment, and political caste census—the first of its kind in India—to establish clear statistics.

The Chief Minister outlined the progress of this initiative, which began with a cabinet resolution on 4 February 2024. He stated that by 4 February 2025, the Assembly would pass a resolution on the same matter, reinforcing the government’s commitment. He also reminded the Assembly that 4 February has been officially designated as Social Justice Day to mark this historic process.

“The government’s survey is 100% accurate. It has determined that weaker sections constitute 56% of the population. We had previously passed a resolution recommending 42% reservations for BCs and submitted it to the Centre. Now, by introducing this bill, we are ensuring legal backing. Until we achieve this goal, we will not stop,” he declared.