TRS president and Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao is planning to convert PM Narendra Modi's 10 per cent reservations for Economically Backward Classes (EBCs) into Muslim quota (BC-E) in Telangana.
KCR is learnt to be seriously thinking of converting BC-E into EBC in Telangana.
At present, TRS government is providing 4 per cent reservations for Muslims under BC-E quota. This BC-E quota was brought by late YSR government in Undivided AP.
KCR passed an Act in Assembly in April 2017 increasing Muslim reservations under BC-E quota from 4 per cent to 12 per cent and referred the Act to Centre for approval.
But Modi government did not grant approval and kept in pending for the last two years saying that overall reservations for all categories cannot exceed 50 per cent and if it is approved, the total reservations of Telangana will increase to 62 per cent, which is against Supreme Court direction of reservations should not exceed 50 per cent.
However, Modi government passed an Act in Parliament on Thursday giving 10 per cent reservations to EBCs and increasing overall reservations from 50 per cent to 60 per cent.
Modi government made it clear that this 10 percent EBC quota can be given to anyone irrespective of whether he/ she is Hindu/ Muslim/ Christian or from any upper castes in Hindu.
Now, KCR wants to utilise this opportunity to convert 10 per cent EBC quota into BC-E quota and fulfill his promise of increasing reservations to Muslims.
He plans to amend TS Reservation Act to this effect in the ensuing Budget Session of Assembly.