BJP eyes on Muslim predominant constituencies in Telangana, to repeat UP polarisation experience

Hyderabad: BJP and MIM’s preparation to contest on more seats in 2019 assembly elections of Telangana creates fear that the votes will split on religious grounds as happened in Uttar Pradesh. After its landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh, BJP is now focussing on Telangana and is identifying Muslim predominant areas to pull out all the stops to grab the seats. BJP is not trying to get Muslim support in those constituencies, instead trying to unite Hindu votes to assure its candidate’s victory. It must be noted that the same strategy helped BJP in Uttar Pradesh.

To divide voters on religious grounds, BJP has grab hold of a key issue, i.e. Muslim reservation. The party has directed its leaders and cadre to get ready for an agitation against Muslim reservations. BJP will launch an extensive campaign against Muslim reservations in Muslim predominant areas and will try to unite majority community’s votes.

Meanwhile TRS is haunted by the BJP’s strategy and MIM’s plan to contest on more seats. TRS leaders believe that if MIM contests on more seats and try to unite Muslim votes it would directly benefit BJP. Leaders feel that as the MIM’s entry in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and other areas benefited BJP similarly the same experience can be repeated in Telangana.

Siasat report