The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has extended support to the anganwadi workers and sarpanches, who have been staging protests over their long-pending demands. The BJP also demanded that the State government must take steps to ensure that the students from Andhra Pradesh were not deprived of admission into medical colleges in Telangana.
Addressing the media here on July 12 (Wednesday), BJP State general secretary S. Vishnuvardhan Reddy said that the Telangana government had issued G.O. 72, reserving all seats in the medical colleges there for the students from that State. “The G.O. was violative of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. As per the Act, non-locals can get admission into the medical colleges in Telangana through the 15% and the convener quota. With the G.O., it is not possible now. The students have approached the Court but the State government is silent. Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy should take the necessary steps to ensure justice to the students from Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
Referring to the agitation of sarpanches, the BJP leader said that the government was usurping the powers of panchayats and diverting the funds meant for them. The Central government is releasing funds directly into the accounts of panchayats, but the State government is paying the power bills etc. forcibly by utilising these funds.
“A few years ago, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had claimed that a majority of the sarpanches were the YSRCP leaders. If it was true, why are the sarpanches on the agitation path now?” he asked. “The government has not hiked the wages of anganwadi workers in the last four years. The BJP will stand by the protesting anganwadi workers and sarpanches,” he said.
Purandeswari to assume office today
Mr. Vishnuvardhan Reddy said that Daggubati Purandeswari would assume the office of the party State president on July 13 (Thursday) and address the party workers.
