Huzurnagar bypoll: Result hinges on 90,000 BC voters

HYDERABAD: Voters from the Backward Classes community will play a crucial role in deciding the fate of candidates in the bypoll to Huzurnagar assembly constituency.

Of the total 2.2 lakh voters, over 90,000 voters are from the BC community. While almost all political parties are trying to woo BC voters, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has taken up the cause of BC reservations in education, employment, state assemblies and Parliament with the Central government.

The move is being seen as a timely step as the state government is planning to hold municipal elections after the Huzurnagar bypoll concludes.

The BCs comprise almost 50% of the total population in every municipality and municipal corporation. Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in his wishlist to Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently urged the Centre for enhancement of reservations to BCs in education and employment and to provide quota to the BC candidates in the state assemblies and Parliament.

National BC Welfare Association president R Krishnaiah said that the BCs are miffed with the TRS government for reducing BC quota from 34% to 22% in the gram panchayat elections. “The BCs will trust the TRS government only if the TRS MPs seek to introduce a private bill in the Parliament to provide BC’s reservations in the assemblies and Parliament. KCR should exert pressure on Modi to introduce the bill,” Krishnaiah said.

Reacting to KCR’s move, the Congress said that the chief minister was playing BC card with an eye on Huzurnagar bypoll and the ensuing municipal polls. “The TRS government had reduced BC quota from 34% to 22% in gram panchayat elections. The TRS government did not even go to the Supreme Court to seek permission to continue 34% quota to BCs. The Congress has been demanding category-wise reservation to BCs but TRS government has not done it,” TPCC president and Nalgonda MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy said. Interestingly, the TRS and the Congress have fielded candidates from the Reddy community— Saidi Reddy and Padmavathi Reddy, and the TDP from Kamma community— Kiranmayi. Among the major political parties in fray, only the BJP has fielded a BC candidate—Rama Rao.

Meanwhile, the CPM suspended its nominee P Shekhar Rao, whose nomination in the Huzurnagar bypoll was rejected on technical grounds. The CPM state unit held Shekhar responsible for the party not being able to contest in the bypoll. The CPM also suspended its Suryapet district secretary M Ramulu. It has decided to support Telangana Praja Party candidate Sambasiva Goud.