Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is believed to have clarified that the announcement was made independently by Srinivas Reddy and that neither he nor other party leaders had been consulted.
Published Jun 16, 2025 | 8:23 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 16, 2025 | 8:23 PM
Goud questioned how ministers could make statements on matters that may come under judicial review.
Synopsis: Telangana Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s “off-the-cuff” remarks on Sunday that notifications for the upcoming local body elections would be announced by the end of June, has reportedly irked Pradesh Congress Committee President Mahesh Kumar Goud, since the declaration was reportedly made without prior consultation with either the Cabinet or the party leadership.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President B Mahesh Kumar Goud is reportedly upset over Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s “off-the-cuff” remarks, unilaterally setting a timeline for the upcoming Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency elections.
During a visit to Khammam district on Sunday, 15 June, Reddy stated that election notifications would be issued by the end of June and that polls would be held in July.
However, the TPCC chief, a prominent Backward Class leader, is said to have taken strong exception to the minister making such a declaration without prior consultation with either the Cabinet or the party leadership.
Goud questioned how ministers could make statements on matters that may come under judicial review, and asked why such issues were being publicly discussed without thorough deliberation in the Cabinet.
He is understood to have previously cautioned ministers, including Reddy, against making hasty remarks without considering their implications for the party.
According to sources, Goud raised the matter with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, asking how a minister without direct authority over local body elections could make such a significant statement.
The chief minister is believed to have clarified that the announcement was made independently by Srinivas Reddy and that neither he nor other party leaders had been consulted. He reportedly said the move was beyond the minister’s remit.
Goud’s frustration appears to stem from the timing and potential consequences of the statement, especially as the Congress government is still in the process of fulfilling its 2023 Assembly election promise of ensuring 42 percent reservations for the Backward Classes in local bodies.
Although the State Assembly has passed a bill to this effect and forwarded it to the Centre for inclusion in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, the process remains incomplete.
Without the constitutional backing, the proposed reservation quota risks being struck down for breaching the 50 percent ceiling set by the courts.
Reddy’s announcement has, thus, raised public expectations about the election timelines, even as the party has yet to resolve the reservation issue.
A source close to Goud stated that such announcements undermine the party’s authority, especially since the TPCC is central to election strategy.
The TPCC chief is particularly concerned that Reddy’s remarks could fuel doubts about whether the Congress will deliver on its 42 percent BC reservation promise.
Meanwhile, the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi has been quick to respond. Its Working President, KT Rama Rao, questioned how the Congress could proceed with local body poll announcements without first implementing the promised BC reservations.
He accused the party of “doublespeak” and said the statement had exposed internal divisions within the Congress at a time when the party needs to consolidate ahead of the elections, whenever they are held.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
