File Special Leave Petition in SC for 34 per cent BC quota: Naidu shoots open letter to Andhra CM

VIJAYAWADA: Leader of the Opposition and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu shot off an open letter to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday demanding that the State government file a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court seeking to give 34 per cent reservation to Backward Classes (BCs) in the ensuing local body elections. The TDP chief assured that the TDP would extend all support for the cause.

In the letter, Naidu highlighted the steps taken up by the previous TDP regime for the uplift of BCs and accused the YSRC government of betraying them by reducing the quota for them.

The BCs will get only 24 per cent reservation if the elections are to be held now as per the direction of High Court, which restricted  overall reservation to 50 per cent, Naidu said adding that it would cause a big political setback for the BC sub-castes, which have been enjoying 34 per cent reservation for the last 26 years.

Naidu said that when a legal crisis emerged in 2013, the political parties, BC and other associations came to an agreement not to make any objections to 60.55 per cent reservation, which was in excess of 50 per cent limit imposed by the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, a TDP delegation called on Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan at the Raj Bhavan and sought his intervention for restoration of 34 per cent reservation to Backward Classes in the local body polls. The delegation submitted a representation alleging that the YSRC government was showing apathy towards deprived and downtrodden sections in general and BCs in particular and appealed to the Governor to intervene in the matter.