Southern States
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Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad
'Reservations tailored to suit TDP'
By Our Staff Reporter
HYDERABAD, DEC. 11. The all- party meeting convened by the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH) to address their grievances on reservation and delimitation of divisions for the coming Municipal elections ended in acrimony on Tuesday evening.
The Congress Party and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) staged a walk-out, protesting against what they called glaring discrepancies in reservation of divisions.
Almost all parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), the Congress, the Majlis Bachao Tahreek and the TRS, raised objections to the reduced reservation of divisions for SCs and STs. The Congress leaders, Mr. P. Sudhir and Mr. P. Krishna, described the reservations as being ``political'' in nature to suit one political party.
When the MCH Commissioner, Dr. P.K. Mohanty, asked the political parties to give their objections in writing, the Congress leaders walked out saying that the all-party meeting was just a farce. ``You called the meeting to redress our objections and now asking us to give complaints in writing,'' Mr. Sudhir said, as he led Congress representatives out of the meeting. Voicing similar argument, TRS leaders too followed suit.
The MIM representative, Mr. Zulfiqar, said the wrong methodology in reservations had done injustice to the minority community. ``There are four Assembly constituencies which are represented by the MIM. Of the 35 divisions which fall under these constituencies, you have reserved 30 for BCs, SCs and STs, hardly leaving any space for minorities to contest,'' he said. In Mallepally, around 90 per cent of voters belonged to Muslim minority and yet the division was reserved for SC (Women), he complained.
A remark by Dr. Mohanty, suggesting that those not happy with the reservations had the option of approaching a Court, too did not go well with the leaders. Several of them resented the suggestion, saying, ``the MCH elections are going to be held after 15 years. Now, you want us to stall the same with a court case''.
Later, speaking to press persons, the Congress leader, Mr. Krishna, charged the MCH with acting at the behest of the TDP and tailoring the reservations to suit the chances of the ruling party. Mr. Sudhir said that his party would implead in a case that challenged the reservation of divisions. The TRS leader, Mr. Sudershan Rao, said the TDP was trying to stall the polls on some pretext or the other, as its chances were bleak in the election. The TDP City president, Mr. T. Krishna Reddy, scoffed at these allegations and said the elections would be held this time.
Dr. Mohanty, who later addressed a press meet, said the whole process of reservation and delimitation of divisions was guided by the Constitution, law and directives of the Court. ``Every party is dissatisfied, but we are satisfied at the process,'' he quipped.
There might be some aberrations, but the same should have been brought to the notice of authorities in time, he said. ``Only 5,320 objections were received by us out of which 5,077 were allowed. If there were more complaints, why the political parties did not bring them to our notice,'' he questioned.
The MCH Commissioner assured that all the complaints and objections would be forwarded to the State Government and also the State Election Commissioner for necessary action.
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