In a major development, the Telangana High Court has issued significant directives to the state government regarding the long-pending Backward Classes (BC) caste census. The petition, filed by Erra Satyanarayana, state president of the BC Welfare Association, requested the immediate initiation of the BC caste census in Telangana. The court, after hearing arguments from Nagula Srinivas Yadav, representing the petitioner, directed the government to conduct the census within a period of three months. Additionally, the court ordered that a report be submitted detailing the findings.This decision is expected to expedite the process, which has been a key demand from BC leaders across the state.**Local Body Elections: Heated Debate on Timing**With the tenure of the Sarpanchs in Telangana having already ended, there is growing speculation regarding the timeline for local body elections. While no official announcement has been made by the government, there has been a surge of pressure from opposition parties to hold the elections as soon as possible.Prominent leaders, including Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, have indicated that the local body elections might be held after the completion of the BC caste census. However, sources suggest that the government is contemplating scheduling the elections post-Dussehra. The recent High Court directives regarding the caste census will likely influence the final decision.**Congress Faces Internal Pressure Over Election Promises**The upcoming local body elections have put the Congress government in Telangana under significant pressure, particularly due to unfulfilled promises made during the state elections. There is growing discontent among farmers, many of whom have expressed frustration over delayed payments from the Rythu Bandhu scheme, which were expected in September but have not yet been released. Furthermore, the Congress’ promise of farm loan waivers has not materialized fully, with reports suggesting that the waiver has not been implemented in half of the state’s villages.This dissatisfaction among rural voters has raised concerns within Congress ranks, with party insiders worried that going to elections under these circumstances could prove costly. Some party leaders are advising the leadership to delay the elections to avoid backlash from the rural electorate.