Big Demand for BC Wards as Muslims in BC- E Group

ADILABAD: The Congress and BRS are witnessing intense competition for Backward Class (BC)-reserved wards and party B-forms, as both Muslim minorities included in the BC-E category and Hindu BC aspirants seek tickets in the forthcoming municipal elections in the erstwhile Adilabad district.The state government has included socially and educationally backward sections among Muslims in the BC-E group, extending reservation benefits to them. This has resulted in heightened competition in BC-reserved wards, particularly in urban local bodies with sizeable Muslim populations. Both Congress and BRS are facing difficulties in finalising candidates for BC-reserved wards in the municipal elections, party sources said. The pressure is especially evident in Adilabad municipality, where BC aspirants are competing for a limited number of reserved wards. Muslim minority populations are significant in Kagaznagar, Nirmal, Bhainsa and Adilabad municipalities across the erstwhile Adilabad district. Several BC-reserved wards in Adilabad district also have a considerable Muslim minority presence. In Adilabad municipality, there are a total of 49 wards, of which 15 are reserved for BCs, including women. The Adilabad District Congress Committee (DCC) has received 259 applications seeking party B-forms for these 49 wards. According to party sources, Muslim minority leaders included in the BC-E group are aspiring to contest from wards such as Subhashnagar, Indiranagar-Hamaliwada and Khilla-Parkota, where their population presence is substantial. A senior Congress leader said applications were received from BC-E category aspirants even in wards reserved for BCs. It is learnt that both Congress and BRS are trying to ensure balanced representation for Muslim minorities under the BC-E category as well as Hindu Backward Classes while finalising party B-forms for the municipal polls. Meanwhile, adviser to the state government and in-charge of municipal elections, P. Sudarshan Reddy, is scheduled to hold a preparatory meeting at the Nirmal district headquarters on January 24 with key leaders from Nirmal, Khanapur and Bhainsa municipalities. He will later chair another meeting at the Adilabad district headquarters with senior Congress leaders from Adilabad, Asifabad and Kagaznagar municipalities. Adilabad DCC president Naresh Jadhav, Khanapur MLA Vedma Bojju, Nirmal DCC leadership and Congress Assembly constituency in-charges are expected to attend the respective meetings.



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