It appears that Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement about reservations for Muslims has almost confirmed the possibility of the BRS registering a hat-trick victory in the Telangana Assembly elections.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said at the BJP’s Chevella public meeting held two days ago that reservations for Muslims would be scrapped if the BJP forms the government in Telangana. This statement may help the BRS much more than its welfare schemes in the Assembly elections.
Of the 119 Assembly constituencies in Telangana, Muslim voters can tilt the balance in around 53 constituencies provided around 60% of voters exercise their franchise. The BRS government has implemented reservations for Muslims in education and employment apart from welfare schemes.
Union Minister Amit Shah’s statement about Muslim reservations will have a great impact on Muslims in TS as they constitute around 13% of the population.
In Telangana, for any party to form a government it needs 62 Assembly seats. Political observers think that Amit Shah’s statement spoiled the BJP’s chances in the 53 constituencies where Muslims are ‘kingmakers.’
In the past, Muslim voters used to support the Congress across the nation. But Muslims lost faith in the Congress after the demolition of the Babri Masjid and as it failed to prevent the BJP’s growth.
Muslims now vote for a party which can prevent the BJP from coming to power. The Muslims in Telangana are confident that the BRS has a better chance of preventing the BJP from coming to power than the Congress.
During elections compared to other communities the voting percentage of Muslims is very high and at the same time they unanimously support a party that can defeat the BJP. In the old city of Hyderabad, they support the AIMIM and in other parts of the state, they may support the BRS.
In around seven Assembly constituencies of Hyderabad city Muslims constitute more than 50% of the population. Muslims are present in considerable numbers in almost all districts of Telangana and in the erstwhile districts of Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Mahbubnagar, Nalgonda, Medak, Nizamabad and Karimnagar, Muslims are predominant.
Amit Shah’s statement will make Muslims vote en masse for the BRS. Apart from that, BRS President Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has an image across the nation that he is fighting the BJP uncompromisingly. This will also help the BRS to get the support of Muslims who are strongly opposed to the BJP.
The BJP which is trying to damage the image of the BRS and its chief KCR is actually boosting his image among Muslims and making him a hero.
