Hyderabad: B Mahesh Kumar Goud, the PCC president, has asked party members to avoid making comments about local elections.
Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, the Revenue Minister, caused a stir with his statement suggesting the local election notification might be released by the end of the month. There are unresolved issues regarding the BC quota due to the BC caste census. Goud, also a BC leader, advised the Minister not to speak about the local election, as it ties into BC reservation matters.
Party insiders reveal that after Srinivas Reddy’s remarks on Sunday in Khammam district about the election schedule and upcoming Cabinet talks, Goud expressed his discontent over the phone. He emphasized that discussing reservations publicly before official decisions is inappropriate. Additionally, he noted that the Minister’s comments were outside his responsibilities.
The PCC president advised ministers to be cautious about controversial topics, especially those under court review. The party leadership is unhappy with sensitive topics being aired in the media. Goud stressed that ministers should not make public statements without party consultation to avoid potential issues for both the party and the government.
He emphasized that ministers should only speak on issues relevant to their departments and be cautious with matters under legal consideration. Goud urged them not to repeat such incidents.
On Monday, the Minister reiterated in a news interview that the government is committed to BC reservation and promised to implement the increased quota.