BJP state president N. Ramchandra Rao has sparked controversy on his first visit to Delhi as president by declaring that it is not possible to amend the 9th Schedule of the Constitution to provide 42 percent reservations. He is attracting ire from BC leaders in his own party.
Moreover, they are worried that he has given a weapon to other parties to raise their flag against their party. Doubts are also being expressed as to whether Ramchandra Rao has told the central government’s intention on this bill?
He has pushed his own party into self-defense by stating that the state government passed the bill in the assembly even though it knew that the reservation bill would not be approved and sent it to the center. BC leaders in the BJP say that if we ourselves decide that it is not possible, we should expose the Congress’s strategy on the reservation bill.
BC leaders in the party are feeling sad that since the Supreme Court has repeatedly ordered that reservations should not exceed 50 percent, even if the Center approves it, someone may challenge it in the Supreme Court again, so by deciding it in advance, we have given other party leaders an opportunity to criticize.
The leaders recall that the BJP also supported the BC Bill when the state government introduced it in the Assembly for approval. They are making it clear that giving unconditional support then and expressing doubts now will send the wrong signal to the people.
Although the Congress also had many doubts about the BC Reservation Bill, they say that it was approved in the Assembly and sent to the Governor, which in turn sent it to the Center. In such a situation, why should the BJP state president be in a hurry?, they wondered. They deplored that it is as if leaders of other parties have been given an opportunity to criticize it now.
As the BC leader was not given the post of president, while the BJP was facing criticism that it was an anti-BC party, some leaders in the party are also expressing doubts that the BCs will distance themselves from the party after Ramchandra Rao, who became the OC, concluded that the BC bill was not possible.
Meanwhile, Congress leaders have launched a critical attack on Ramchandra Rao, who spoke on BC reservations. State Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and MLC Addanki Dayakar Prabrhitulu on Tuesday criticized the BJP MPs for resigning from their posts as Ramchandra Rao had made it clear what the Centre’s stance would be.
