NAVEENA GHANATE
naveena.ghanate@gmail.com
Hyderabad
The Congress’s latest push to implement Rahul Gandhi’s 90 per cent representation promise to SCs, STs, BCs and minorities in TPCC posts has triggered discontent among OC leaders in Telangana, with insiders fearing that the party might risk losing its traditional tag in the process.
Rahul has been repeatedly making the statement that 90 per cent of Congress posts should go to Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs, and minorities.
Even at a public rally in Satna in Madhya Pradesh, on Sunday (May 25), Rahul said, “We want to give 90% of Congress posts, from panchayat to Parliament, to OBCs, SCs, STs, and minorities,” linking it to the party’s broader push for caste census and ‘social justice.’
Sources said 79% per cent of organisational posts in the state are already held by leaders from these communities. With fresh instructions from the Central leadership, the party is now working on fulfilling the 90 per cent quota at all levels, from mandals to the state. This includes key positions in district committees, front organisations, and nominated party bodies.
While the move is being seen by many as a long-overdue correction in favour of ‘social justice,’ some OC leaders are openly voicing unease.
“Like it or not, the Congress might lose the Reddy tag. Numerical may be small groups, but they can influence others. Look at the Kamma community of AP. Has the TDP ever sidelined their base?” a leader commented, hinting at the growing disillusionment among upper-caste leaders.
Insiders said the OC bloc within the party feels increasingly sidelined and left without a clear role in the Congress’s future political framework. With no clarity on how inclusivity would balance with representation, they fear being edged out entirely.
Some leaders argue that the focus should be on cadre-building and winnability, not just social arithmetic. However, party sources insist that the 90 per cent formula will be non-negotiable as it flows directly from the central leadership.
Rahul’s emphasis on ‘social justice,’ including his push for a nationwide caste census and proportional representation, has been welcomed by Dalit and OBC leaders in the state. But the party’s ability to retain its traditional support base while making this structural shift remains an open question.
