Kavitha warns of mass agitation over BC quota in local body polls

Says nominations will be filed en masse in every village across Telangana as a mark of protest; questions Revanth Reddy’s silence as Andhra Pradesh goes ahead with Banakacherla project

Hyderabad: Telangana Jagruthi president and BRS MLC K Kavitha on Wednesday warned of a statewide mass agitation if the Congress government failed to implement 42 per cent reservation for Backward Classes in the upcoming local body elections. She said nominations would be filed en masse in every village across the State as a mark of protest.

She also announced a rail roko protest on July 17 and urged the public to avoid travel between July 16 and 18, as the agitation over BC rights intensifies with support from SC, ST, BC and other caste-based organisations.

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Speaking to mediapersons here, Kavitha criticised Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for failing to raise the BC reservation Bill issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, despite visiting Delhi numerous times. Mocking his repeated trips to Delhi, she remarked that he deserved a Guinness World Record for most Delhi trips without achieving any results.

She ridiculed the BJP’s proposed ‘Telangana Viksit Yatra’ in support of the BC reservation Bill, calling it a hollow attempt to gain political mileage with no clear action supporting the Bill.

Reacting on inter-state water disputes, the BRS MLC charged Revanth Reddy with betraying Telangana’s interests by remaining silent as Andhra Pradesh went ahead with the Banakacherla project. She questioned his inaction even as Andhra Pradesh submitted a Preliminary Feasibility Report (PFR) to the Centre. She stated that the Chief Minister had even failed to oppose the proposed 150 TMC Bollapalli reservoir that could submerge parts of Nallamala forest.

“If Revanth Reddy is really the son of Nallamala, he must stop Bollapalli,” Kavitha challenged, demanding that he push for an urgent Apex Council meeting to safeguard Telangana’s water rights. She rubbished the claims that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was never opposed to Telangana irrigation projects, reminding how he had previously written letters and filed petitions in the Supreme Court against them.

She also called for the withdrawal of ‘Operation Kagar’ and urged Centre and State governments to engage in dialogue with Maoists. She extended condolences over the death of Maoist leader Gajarla Ravi.