Hyderabad, Feb 18 (IANS): BJP MP Eatala Rajender Tuesday demanded Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to clarify why the population of Backward Classes (BCs) has declined in the state as revealed in the recently conducted caste survey.

Talking to media persons here, Rajender, representing Malkajgiri seat, claimed that the BJP favoured conducting caste surveys in states.

He alleged that the Congress government in the state is not sincere about caste census.

The BJP has been questioning the Congress government over the decline in the BC population compared to an integrated household survey conducted in 2014.

It pointed out that as per the 2014 survey, the population of BCs was 1,88,41,009 but the caste survey conducted by the present Congress government has put the BC population at 1,64,09,179.

The BJP leaders have also cited the statistics related to Aadhaar cards in Telangana to raise doubts about the accuracy of the caste survey. Telangana had 3.95 crore Aadhaar cards in 2020 but the caste survey has accounted for only 3.54 crore people.

Rajender also claimed that the Centre has provided huge funds to Telangana. The former minister said the Centre sanctioned Rs 6,300 crore for the Ramagundam Fertiliser Plant. The Union Government is also setting up a railway coach factory in Kazipet.

Rajender said the BJP-led NDA government is also giving priority to 'Make in India' and sanctioning loans of thousands of crores to small and medium enterprises.

On the pending issue of a steel plant at Bayyaram, as promised in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, the BJP leader said the state government can set up the plan. "Can't the state government establish the steel plant to employ people,” he said.

Rajender said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not have the habit of making promises that cannot be implemented.

The MP alleged that the real estate sector in the state collapsed after the Congress party came to power.