Hyderabad: Dr. S Prakash Reddy, the BJP Telangana State Secretary, criticized the Congress government for not organizing local body elections, saying it disrespects former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. After a lengthy Congress cabinet meeting, he remarked that there’s still no clear plan for these elections, highlighting what he sees as the government’s poor management of local governance.
On Tuesday, Dr. Reddy spoke to the media, pointing out that the State High Court is reviewing the situation. The state asked for an additional month to conduct elections, while the Election Commission suggested two months. Yet, Dr. Reddy believes the public has lost faith in these proposed timelines.
He mentioned that the terms for Sarpanches ended in February 2024. Positions like Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs), Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs), and Mandal Parishad Presidents (MPPs) expired in June, and municipal elections should occur in August. Over 150 municipalities and 12,000 Gram Panchayats are currently without elected bodies, which Dr. Reddy sees as evidence of the Congress’s failure in administration.
Dr. Reddy compared this to Jammu and Kashmir, which managed local elections even under Article 370. He criticized the Revanth Reddy government for further delaying elections, similar to past administrations.
Despite the constitutional requirements from the 73rd Amendment under Rajiv Gandhi, Dr. Reddy accused the Congress of continuing election delays. The BJP insists on following the Constitution strictly and demands that local elections happen promptly. They also call for a 42% reservation for Backward Classes (BC) to be enforced before the elections, accusing the Congress of ignoring this vital issue.
