NDA ally Chandrababu Naidu promises to preserve 4% reservations to Muslims in AP

Lok Sabha 24 : Amidst political dynamics in Andhra Pradesh, the issue of Muslim reservation has stirred significant debate. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has categorically stated that he will not give reservation to Muslims based on religion, contradicting his stance, his ally, Chandrababu Naidu, from Telugu Desam Party (TDP), has pledged to uphold the 4% reservation for Muslims under the OBC category in Andhra Pradesh, leading to a sense of ambiguity among voters, particularly amidst the TDP-BJP-Jana Sena Party coalition in the state.

Addressing a gathering in Guntur on May 2, Naidu reiterated his commitment to maintaining the Muslim reservation under the OBC category, along with additional pledges such as providing financial aid of Rs 5000 for mosque maintenance and offering assistance for Haj Yatra. Notably, communities like Dudekula, Laddaf, Pinjari/Noorbash, and Mehtar are included in the OBC list in Andhra Pradesh.

Besides the reservation, the TDP has promised to offer financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh to Muslims for undertaking the Haj Yatra and provide Rs 5 lakh interest-free loans through the minority finance corporation. The TDP chief also promised to construct the Noor Basha Corporation and allocate Rs 100 crore annually for the community.

However, curiously, the ‘united manifesto’ released by the TDP, JSP and BJP on May 1, did not find a mention of the promise to preserve 4 % reservation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier declared that he would not allow Muslims to “eat into” the reservation of SCs, STs and OBCs. Addressing the BJP meeting in Telangana, the Modi said, “As long as Modi is alive, I will not let reservations of Dalits, Adivasis, OBC to be given to Muslims on the basis of religion.” 

Explaining the absence of Muslim reservation in the ‘united manifesto’, TDP spokesperson K Pattabhi Ram stated that it wasn’t included as it is not a focal point of the election discourse, emphasizing that the reservation already exists. However, the TDP has yet to address the BJP’s opposing stance on the issue.

In Andhra Pradesh, Muslims comprise approximately 9.5% of the population according to the 2011 census. Naidu has criticized Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s administration for allegedly spreading misinformation regarding the TDP’s position on Muslim reservation, questioning their commitment to minority rights.

The YSRCP which pledged support to the NRC and the CAA bills in the Parliament is now crying foul after the TDP forged an alliance with the BJP. In fact V Vijayasai Reddy who is now contesting from the YSRCP in Nellore parliament seat signed and pledged support to the Centre for these two bills,” Naidu said attacking the YSRCP.

Meanwhile, Asaduddin Owaisi, president of AIMIM, has criticized the TDP and JSP for aligning with the BJP, throwing his support behind the YSRCP. He asserts that Muslim reservation in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh is based on socio-economic factors rather than religion, expressing confidence in its continuation under the leadership of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

In neighbouring Karnataka, the BJP government’s decision in March 2023 to eliminate the 4% reservation for Muslims under the backward class category “ 2B” and transfer them to the 10 % quota for economically weaker sections (EWS) in the general category has sparked controversy. The BJP accuses the Congress of reallocating OBC reservation to Muslims, intensifying the political discourse surrounding reservation policies.

Andhra Pradesh will go to polls on May 13.  As part of the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance, out of the 175 seats, TDP will contest in 144 seats, JSP in 21, and the BJP in 10 seats in the Assembly elections. For the Parliamentary elections, the TDP will contest in 17 seats, BJP in six, and the JSP in two.