KTR: Centre should be liberal on quota

Indicating that the TS government would go ahead with its reservation policy, municipal minister K.T. Rama Rao on Saturday said that the Centre ought to be liberal over the issue, on the lines of 69 per cent reservations in Tamil Nadu.

He also asserted that the TRS will return to power in 2019 elections.

“Centre should be liberal. States should be given powers to decide on the quantum of reservation. In TS, 90 per cent of population is backward. We promised reservations in our election manifesto,” Mr Rao said, during an informal chat with the media in the Assembly lobbies.

Justifying 12 per cent reservations to Muslims, he said it cannot be construed as “religion-based reservation” but reservations based on backwardness.

“Government will extend support to poor among OCs. We have established a corporation for Brahmins, introduced Kalyana Lakshmi scheme, fee reimbursement for EBCs,” he reminded.

Mr Rao pointed out that Tamil Nadu was extending 69 per cent reservations and said “We expect a similar facility here.”

Stating that the Assembly saw elaborate discussions on all the demands of various departments for the first time in 21 years, he said such fruitful discussions were a rarity in the past.

On Central funding, Mr Rao said that the country has a federal setup and if states don’t contribute to the Centre, it has no other way of getting funds.

Mr Rao said he was confident of delimitation of Assembly constituencies. “TRS remains unchallenged in the state. People gave the mandate to TRS and are taking party membership. This indicates public confidence in TRS,” he said.

Asked about Komatireddy Venkat Reddy’s allegations against the government, Mr Rao he said the Congress MLA was changing his stand comments on a daily basis.

He said the Opposition lacked commitment towards irrigation projects and was filing false cases in courts to stall them.