Hyderabad: The Telangana Congress’s ‘Mahadharna’ gained significant backing from the INDIA bloc parties, who pledged their support for the movement. Some supporters referenced the historic Periyar movement, while others compared Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, known for his pivotal role in securing a 69% reservation in Tamil Nadu.
The protest at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday saw allies like the NCP, DMK, RJD, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Samajwadi Party standing in solidarity with Telangana’s push for 42% BC reservation. NCP leader Supriya Sule praised Revanth Reddy, calling him a successful leader of Telangana. She assured that the INDIA alliance would fully support the Telangana CM. She emphasized that Revanth Reddy, who was confident about Congress winning in Telangana, took on the leadership role with a positive mindset. “Just as Karunanidhi’s efforts in achieving reservation are celebrated, Revanth Reddy’s work for social justice will be remembered,” she stated.
DMK leader Kanimozhi, Karunanidhi’s daughter, questioned the reservation cap, asking, “How can there be a cap on justice?” She pledged that the DMK would strongly support the fight for BC reservation, aiming for even more than the requested 42%.
Samajwadi Party leader Dharmendra Yadav declared Telangana’s demand as representative of all weaker sections across India. He committed the SP to the cause until it is fulfilled. “It is the weaker sections that have supported the NDA, and we will fight for a caste survey to be implemented nationwide,” he declared.
However, the absence of key AICC leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge led to some discomfort among party members. Telangana MPs submitted an adjournment motion, but the lack of support from party leadership in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha raised concerns about CM Revanth Reddy’s efforts.
