Even as Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has been claiming at various meetings that he would continue as chief minister until 2034, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud has made a statement that appears to contradict that position.
Addressing a massive public meeting organised by the Congress at Shamshabad, demanding that the Narendra Modi government undertake a caste census, Mahesh Kumar Goud said that a person from the Backward Classes (BC) community would become the chief minister next time.
He went on to assert that both Revanth Reddy and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi would support the cause of BC representation.
“I can say with certainty that a BC person will become the chief minister of this state,” he said, adding that Rahul Gandhi had given the Congress confidence to fight for the rights of BCs.
Mahesh Kumar Goud also said that the representation of BC communities in the state cabinet and among legislators would be increased.
He described the Congress as a party representing Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, BCs and minorities, and said it was not restricted to any particular caste, region or individual.
He claimed that the Congress would seek the share of political representation due to BC communities with the support of people from all social groups.
The PCC chief also credited Rahul Gandhi and Revanth Reddy with pushing forward the caste survey initiative in Telangana. He said the State Assembly had passed a resolution on the issue and sent it to the Centre.
According to Mahesh Kumar Goud, the BJP had supported the resolution in the Assembly, but its eight MPs from Telangana had failed to approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to seek approval for the state’s caste survey.
He argued that Telangana could have emerged as a role model for the entire country if the Centre had accepted the state government’s initiative.
He said the Congress would continue to press for increased representation for BCs and accused the BJP-led Centre of failing to respond adequately to the demand for a nationwide caste census.
