Hyderabad, Feb 13 (IANS): Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao on Wednesday demanded that Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy apologise to the Backward Classes (BCs) for reducing their population in the caste survey.

After the Congress government announced that it would conduct another round of caste survey this month to cover the population who did not participate in the survey earlier, Rama Rao said the government has finally admitted that caste survey was a hodgepodge of mistakes.

The BRS leader, however, said the Chief Minister should unconditionally apologise to all backward classes in the state for reducing their population and causing severe mental anguish to the people of backward communities.

The former minister said it was wrong for the Congress government to pass a resolution in the Assembly based on incomplete calculations, even though the BRS and backward class associations have openly objected to the incomplete survey.

KTR, as the BRS leader is popularly known, said local body elections should be held only after a comprehensive survey is conducted for the second time and 42 percent reservation is legally provided for BCs.

“If we just pass a resolution and push the issue of BC reservations under the purview of the center and wash off our hands, the backward class organisations, including BRS, will not agree to it under any circumstances,” he said.

KTR said the Chief Minister should remember that none of the BCs in the state will trust the Congress party until it fully fulfills the promise made in the Kamareddy BC declaration.

The Congress party had unveiled the declaration during 2023 Assembly elections, promising 42 per cent reservation for backward classes.

Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka announced that the State Cabinet will pass a resolution in the first week of March to provide 42 per cent reservation to backward classes.

He said a Bill would be passed in the Assembly to provide statutory backing for a 42 percent quota for BCs/OBCs in politics, education and employment.

Vikramarka also stated that the Bill would be sent to the Central government and all efforts would be made to pass the same in the Parliament.

A Constitutional amendment is required for if the overall reservation for all sections cross exceeds 50 per cent.