Hyderabad: The schedule for local body elections in Telangana remains uncertain amid ongoing disputes over Backward Class (BC) reservations. While the High Court has directed that elections be held by the end of September, debates over reservation policies have delayed final decisions, keeping political and public attention focused on the government’s next steps.
In a key development, the Congress Party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) is scheduled to meet on August 23 at Gandhi Bhavan to discuss BC reservations, local body elections, and party organizational matters. The meeting was convened on the instructions of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to PCC Chief Mahesh Kumar Goud, with Minister Ponnam Prabhakar also expected to participate.
The PAC had initially planned to meet on August 16–17, but the session was postponed. Mahesh Kumar Goud indicated that the party may seek an extension from the court, as conducting elections by the end of September may not be feasible. He added that the final decision on the election schedule will be taken based on the majority opinion of PAC members.
Meanwhile, public dissatisfaction is mounting due to delays in local body elections. Villages currently lack elected sarpanches, funds have not been released, and development activities have stalled, drawing criticism from residents. Citizens are closely monitoring the PAC meeting for clarity on whether elections will proceed in September or face further postponement.
The demand for 42% reservations for BCs has attracted nationwide attention. Congress leaders, including CM Revanth Reddy, recently protested in Delhi, urging the central government to implement the quota. Mahesh Kumar Goud has reaffirmed that the party will continue to press for the reservation issue without compromise.