BRS leaders and KTR differ on giving up seats for women
PNS|Hyderabad
Most of BRS party leaders do not resonate with Minister K T Rama Rao’s idea of giving up seats for women reservation. The party seems divided over the import of statements made by various leaders over the past two days on quota for women in legislatures.
Minister K T Rama Rao said on Wednesday: “If I have to lose my seat for Women’s Reservation Bill, so be it. We all have a limited shelf life. I have done my thing”.
However, party leaders are not concurring with this idea yet. But most of them do agree that it takes guts to make an announcement of the kind KTR made on Wednesday and that not all were on the same page.
A BRS legislator, speaking on condition of anonymity, remarked: “The good thing about the Bill is that it will happen after the Census and after the delimitation of constituencies. My constituency might become two or three, considering the present population and all might not goto women. So, I am certain that I will still have an opportunity to contest”.
However, BRS Lok Sabha floor leader Nama Nageshwar Rao demanded that the Women’s Reservation Bill be implemented immediately. Nama said: “The Bill should be implemented in the upcoming elections or a deadline must be imposed for its implementation”.
Another BRS MLA, speaking on condition of anonymity, observed: “Who wants to give up their seat? Not just in my party, any party leader wants to keep it with them or within their reach. Maybe by the time delimitation comes up, we might groom women in our household as well. We can only speculate on what can happen. Let’s cross the bridge when we come to it. See the goal for any party is winning and who can make the candidate win”.
