Normal life across Telangana came to a grinding halt on Saturday as a state-wide bandh, called by Backward Class (BC) organisations and supported by major political parties, paralysed transport, trade, and educational institutions. The shutdown was organised to protest the Telangana High Court’s interim stay on a state government order granting 42% reservation for BCs in local body elections — a decision that the Supreme Court recently refused to overturn.

The bandh, spearheaded by the Backward Classes Joint Action Committee (BC JAC), saw strong participation from the ruling Congress, as well as the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Ministers, legislators, and activists took to the streets in Hyderabad and other key districts to demand the restoration of BC quotas.

Public transport services came to a standstill as Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) buses remained off the roads following appeals from political leaders and union members. Thousands of commuters — including those travelling for the Diwali festival — were stranded at bus stations across the state.

Shops, markets, schools, and colleges remained largely closed, while essential and emergency services continued to function. The bandh also saw sporadic incidents of vandalism, with protesters reportedly attacking a petrol pump and damaging nearby shops.

Political Leaders Join Protests

Several ministers and senior Congress leaders, including Ponnam Prabhakar, Seethakka, Vakiti Srihari, Konda Surekha, and MP Anil Yadav, led demonstrations in Hyderabad. Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao joined protests in Sattupalli, while opposition leaders from the BRS and BJP also extended their support.
BJP leader Etala Rajender joined agitators at the Jubilee Bus Station, urging the Centre to act on the BC reservation issue.

TPCC president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud reiterated that the Congress government stood firmly behind the 42% quota demand, calling the bandh a “peaceful, voluntary show of unity” by the people of Telangana.

Kavitha Slams Both Congress and BJP

BRS leader and Telangana Jagruthi founder K. Kavitha criticised both the Congress and BJP for what she called their “political posturing” on the BC reservation issue.
“Congress issues hollow GOs, while the BJP pretends to support the cause. If the Telangana BJP MPs truly care, let them resign to push the BC Bill through Parliament,” she said.
Kavitha, along with leaders of Telangana Jagruthi and the United Progressive Forum (UPF), formed a human chain at Khairatabad Junction in solidarity with the BC JAC’s demands.

Government Reaffirms Commitment

Minister Vakiti Srihari reaffirmed the Congress government’s stance, saying, “We are fully committed to ensuring 42% reservation for BCs. The Centre must now act on our request.”
Minister Danasari Seethakka echoed the sentiment, stating that the bandh reflected the collective frustration of Telangana’s BCs. “We passed a resolution in the Assembly under CM Revanth Reddy’s leadership. Yet, there’s been no response from the Centre. This protest is our message — we won’t rest until our rightful quota is restored.”

The bandh follows the High Court’s October 9 order staying the state’s move to provide enhanced BC reservations in local body polls. The Supreme Court’s refusal to intervene has further fuelled the anger among BC groups, who say their constitutional rights have been denied.

With the bandh witnessing near-total participation and cross-party backing, the issue of BC reservations has once again become a central flashpoint in Telangana’s political landscape.