Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday, 22 October declared that the next general elections are crucial for the country and called on all citizens to rally behind Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, describing such support as 'the need of the hour.' Reddy made these remarks while participating in the Pandaga Sayanna Mudiraj birth anniversary celebrations in Hyderabad.

Call for Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister

Chief Minister Reddy expressed confidence that the majority Bahujan communities would be truly empowered only when Gandhi became Prime Minister. He urged all sections of society to stand firmly behind the Congress leader at what he termed a critical juncture for the nation. The remarks signal the Telangana Congress unit's intent to position the upcoming general elections as a decisive political moment.

Cabinet Sub-Committee for Mudiraj Community

Addressing a key demand from the community, CM Reddy announced that a Cabinet Sub-Committee would be constituted to study the inclusion of the Mudiraj community in the BC-A category. Currently classified under BC-D, the community has long sought reclassification. 'Due to lack of accurate data, the Mudiraj community could not be reclassified from the BC-D category to BC-A. We will discuss this issue in the next Cabinet meeting and form a Cabinet Sub-Committee to conduct a comprehensive study on this issue,' Reddy said. He also acknowledged that misconceptions raised by other castes regarding the Mudiraj community's inclusion in BC-A need to be addressed alongside the data exercise.

BC Census and Political Representation

The Chief Minister highlighted the Backward Classes Census conducted by his government, asserting that the data had empowered communities to assert their rights with greater strength. He urged communities to furnish correct details to rectify any errors in population counts. Reddy also recalled his own track record of supporting the Mudiraj community, noting that after becoming Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President, he had appointed Srihari Mudiraj as the District Congress Committee (DCC) President, given him an Assembly election ticket, and subsequently inducted him as a minister. Neelam Madhu was also given a party ticket for the Lok Sabha elections. He suggested to minister Ponnam Prabhakar to bring to the attention of TPCC President Mahesh Goud the possibility of providing an MLC ticket to the Mudiraj community.

Welfare Schemes and Past Legacies

CM Reddy listed welfare schemes his government has continued, stating that while former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao (NTR) had launched rice distribution at ₹2 per kilogram, his Congress government is now providing fine quality rice to 3.48 crore people. He also acknowledged welfare initiatives by former chief ministers NTR, Chandrababu Naidu, Y.S. Rajashekhar Reddy, and K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), affirming that those programmes were being continued. The construction of Indiramma houses in every village was cited as a flagship ongoing effort.

Tribute to Telangana Fighters

The Chief Minister paid homage to Telangana fighters Chakali Ailamma, Doddi Komuraiah, and Pandaga Sayanna, announcing that statues of Sayanna and Doddi Komuraiah would be installed on Tank Bund soon. He also recalled the contributions of Gaddar and Ande Sri to society. Reddy described Sayanna as a man who resisted feudal encroachment during the Nizam's rule, formed groups against landlords, and provided financial assistance for marriages of daughters from poor families. Even a century after Sayanna's death, his songs are reportedly still heard during sowing and harvesting seasons across the region.