Transport and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar urged those opposing the implementation of 42% reservations to Backward Classes (BC) in local body elections not to obstruct the State government’s efforts, as the people belonging to such communities very much deserve them. He said that no one opposed the 10% reservations for people from the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).He participated in the 110th birth anniversary of Telangana freedom fighter and former minister Konda Laxman Bapuji at Ravindra Bharathi here on Saturday.Addressing the gathering, Prabhakar explained the efforts of the State government led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy in passing the Bills for the implementation of 42% reservations for the BCs.“We issued a GO MS 9 for providing 42% reservation of seats and positions in local bodies to BCs on Friday,” he said, arguing that Tamil Nadu is implementing reservations up to 60%. “I plead with those opposing the BC reservations, as a member of this community, not to take the bread out of our mouth,” he said.Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao said that Konda Laxman Bapuji played a key role in the India’s freedom struggle and in the Telangana armed struggle. He praised him for playing a key role in the achievement of Telangana statehood, calling him a great man who gave up his ministerial post for the achievement of statehood.“Konda Lakshman Bapuji was a great leader. He dedicated his life to serving the people. He practised Gandhiji’s principles and worked for the upliftment of the oppressed,” he said, adding that the Horticulture University had been named after Konda Laxman Bapuji. Similarly, the Indian Institute of Handloom Technology has been named after him.Published - September 27, 2025 09:02 pm IST