The Congress and the Telangana Rashtriya Samithi are tearing the hopes of the community all over again by fielding only a couple of Muslim candidates in the Telangana region.
According to sources, the Congress which received wholehearted support from the Muslim community in the last two elections in 2004 and 2009, believes that the community has fewer winnable candidates to offer.
Moreover, with the TRS perplexing the pitch for Congress on the bifurcation issue, it would not like to take chances with candidate selection.
“The Congress would need necessary numbers to form the government. If we field weak candidates, they may lose and deny the party a chance at government formation. Therefore, only such candidates who have a strong base would be fielded,” according to the sources.
Muslims constitute a little over 12 per cent of the population in Telangana and there are no less than 15 Assembly segments outside Hyderabad, where the Muslim population is around 25 per cent or more.
“Though there is a lot of talk on social engineering and Congress leaders like Jairam Ramesh have spoken of the rights of disadvantaged sections in the new political dispensation, there are no signs that the Congress would break away from its traditional format. Muslims do not figure prominently in the minds of Congress leaders at the moment,” sources close to decision-makers said.
In the vein of the Congress, the TRS also appears to be following the same concept that it should exclusively work towards gaining sufficient numbers to form the government. TRS politburo member Mahmood Ali said about four or five Muslims will be given tickets to fight the next election. Of this, he looking forward to win only three.
“In 2019, when Assembly segments in Telangana would reach over 150 after redrawing constituencies, more Muslims would be fielded. Rest assured our party will make a Muslim the deputy chief minister of the new state. It will also work towards giving 12 per cent reservation to Muslims in education and employment. The annual budget will not be less than Rs 1000 crore as it was in united AP and the Wakf Board would come under the direct control of the chief minister. Wakf rules will be changed in a manner to give executive powers to officials to reclaim properties and exercise authority,” Ali claimed.