The State government is facing a challenge as employees demand the return of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) instead of the current Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). There is confusion within the ruling party, especially with the upcoming MLC bypoll in Nalgonda-Warangal-Khammam. Campaigning for the implementation of OPS has been difficult due to mixed messages in the party’s manifesto.
During the Assembly polls, the Congress promised to implement OPS along with other guarantees. However, the ‘Nyay Patra’ released for Lok Sabha polls does not mention the OPS implementation. This discrepancy has raised doubts about whether OPS will actually be implemented in Telangana. Some party members believe that the promise is unrealistic and may not be fulfilled after the elections.
The MLC bypoll is happening because Palla Rajeshwar Reddy resigned as MLC after being elected to the Assembly. The election is set for May 27, and the party’s candidate, Teenmar Mallanna alias Naveen Kumar, is reaching out to various associations representing teachers, government employees, and unemployed graduates. The campaign also includes addressing issues related to certain government orders that have been contentious in the past.
One of the key issues in the campaign is the demand to reexamine Government Orders 317 and 46, which have been sources of conflict between the government and the youth and employees in the State. The current Congress government hopes to gain support by addressing these issues during the bypoll.
