BJP Once Again Conspiring Against BC Quota: Ponnam

Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Tuesday alleged that the BJP was once again conspiring to thwart implementation of enhanced BC reservations.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @Hyderabad

The minister was responding to state BJP president N Ramchander Rao's claim that it is not feasible to include BC reservations in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.

"It is very much possible if Telangana BJP MPs belonging to BC communities quit their posts to support this cause," Prabhakar said.

In a statement issued here, the minister, who is also a BC leader, alleged that Ramchander Rao has once again revealed the BJP's "real stand" on BCs and reservations. "Tamil Nadu had successfully implemented a similar reservation structure in the past, setting a precedent," he said.

Prabhakar said that states have the authority to enhance reservations if they have credible empirical data. Telangana, he noted, has followed due process—conducting a comprehensive survey, securing Cabinet approval, and forwarding the proposal to the Centre for inclusion in the Ninth Schedule.

The minister also accused the BJP of lacking consistency, recalling how the party justified exceeding the 50% cap during the introduction of EWS quota.

He further alleged that the BJP's leadership structure itself reflects discrimination, having failed to elevate BC leaders to key positions like legislative party leader in the Assembly and state unit chief.