Congress Unveils 100‑Day OBC Rights Drive in Telangana

Telangana senior Congress leader Koppula Raju announced that the party will roll out a 100‑day campaign focused on the rights of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), according to The Hindu. He linked the effort to the “Bharat Jodo” slogan popularised by Rahul Gandhi during his nationwide Yatra, describing it as having transformed into a broader movement for social equity.

Raju highlighted Telangana’s recent “scientific caste survey” as a template for the campaign, noting that the state’s approach under Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has positioned it as a “role model” for data‑driven policy making. The survey, which catalogued the demographic composition of various castes, is intended to inform reservation quotas and welfare schemes, though it has also sparked political debate across the country.

The Congress party plans to use the 100‑day window to mobilise OBC communities, demand timely implementation of reservation promises, and press the central government for clearer guidelines on OBC classification. Organisers intend to hold public meetings, issue policy briefs, and coordinate with state‑level OBC leaders to amplify concerns that many feel have been sidelined in recent legislative discussions.

Background: OBC reservations have been a contentious issue in India since the early 1990s, when the Mandal Commission’s recommendations were implemented, granting a 27 % quota in government jobs and educational institutions. Over the decades, demands for updating the list and ensuring accurate representation have persisted, especially as demographic shifts occur. The recent caste surveys in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and now Telangana aim to provide fresh data, but critics argue they can be politicised. Congress’s new campaign arrives at a time when the ruling BJP faces criticism over its handling of OBC concerns, and opposition parties are seeking to reclaim the narrative on social justice.

Political analysts note that the timing aligns with the concluding phase of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, which has traversed several states to rally support against perceived divisive politics. By anchoring the OBC drive to the Yatra’s messaging, Congress hopes to sustain momentum and translate street‑level enthusiasm into concrete policy demands.

If successful, the 100‑day push could pressure both state and central governments to expedite the release of the caste survey report, potentially reshaping reservation formulas ahead of the next election cycle. The outcome may also influence how other regional parties frame their own OBC outreach strategies.