Hyderabad, June 16 (IANS) Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) chief Mahesh Kumar Goud has taken a serious view of Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy’s statement on the local body elections.

Day after Srinivasa Reddy said that the schedule for local body elections will be announced by the end of this month, the TPCC chief on Monday expressed unhappiness over the remarks.

The state Congress president said that since the issue of local body polls is linked to reservation and the matter is currently before the court, the minister should not have made the statement.

Mahesh Kumar Goud wondered how the minister could reveal to the media an issue which was scheduled to be discussed in the Cabinet. He said the minister should not have made the statement without a discussion in the party.

The TPCC chief also found fault with Srinivasa Reddy for making a statement on an issue related to another ministry. He suggested that the minister should speak only on issues under his purview.

Mahesh Kumar Goud said ministers should take all aspects into consideration while speaking on an issue pending before the court.

Meanwhile, Panchayat Raj Minister Seethakka denied making a statement that the schedule for local body polls will be announced in a week. She clarified that she had only stated that clarity on the local body elections is likely within a week.

She said that the Congress government is committed to 42 per cent reservation for Backward Classes.

Srinivasa Reddy had stated on Sunday that the schedule for local body polls will be announced by June-end. He said the State Cabinet would discuss the issue and take a final decision.

The revenue minister told media persons in Khammam that in the first phase, elections to Mandal Parishad Territorial Committees (MPTCs) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Committees (ZPTCs) will be conducted. Subsequently, the polls will be held for the posts of sarpanches, and municipal elections will be conducted.

The elections to local bodies were delayed as the Congress government was waiting for the outcome of the caste survey. Backward Caste (BC) organisations have also been demanding that the elections should be held only after enhancing the BC reservation to 42 per cent as promised by the Congress during the elections.

The state Assembly has already passed a bill to enhance BC reservation in local bodies to 42 per cent and sent the same to the Centre for its approval.

The term of gram panchayats ended on January 31 last year, while the term of Zilla Parishads ended in July.

–IANS

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