Hyderabad: The Congress party on Tuesday challenged Backward Classes (BC) leaders within the BJP to respond to comments made by their newly appointed state president, N Ramchander Rao. Rao had reportedly questioned the Telangana state government’s sincerity regarding a proposed 42 per cent reservation for BCs, citing an “unscientific approach.”

Speaking to media at Gandhi Bhavan, Congress official spokesperson B Lingam Yadav asserted that if BJP MPs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, D Aravind, and Eatala Rajender failed to counter the remarks from their new state president, it would convey a misleading message that the BJP is a party opposed to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and BCs.

The Congress leader affirmed that the Revanth government’s objective is to implement reservations mirroring the model in Tamil Nadu, which has successfully navigated the constraints of reservation caps.

“The BC leaders in BJP should respond,” Yadav pressed. “Bandi Sanjay, Aravind, Etela Rajender should respond to Ramchandra’s comments on BC reservations. If 42 per cent reservation is not given to BCs, BCs would be further marginalised.” He vowed, “We will achieve 42 per cent reservation by building pressure on Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.” Yadav further contended that those opposing the reservation now are the same leaders who championed “Kamandal politics” as a counter to the “Mandal Commission” recommendations in the past.