In a resurgence of the ‘Muslim Reservation’ debate, the Telugu Desham Party (TDP) has lent its support to the cause, advocating for reservation for Muslims in Andhra Pradesh.
Speaking at a Praja Galam meeting in Guntur, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu emphasised that the TDP has actively fought for Muslim reservations in the state, asserting that it is the party’s obligation to fulfil its promises.
“We will preserve the 4 percent reservations for Muslims and will provide Rs 5,000 in financial assistance every month for mosque maintenance in the state,” he said.
Naidu has also promised to establish the Noor Basha Corporation and allocate Rs 100 crore annually for it if elected to power in the state.
“We will provide pensions for individuals from minority communities above the age of 50. Additionally, we will allocate spaces for Eidgahs and graveyards in major towns for minorities,” he added.
In Andhra Pradesh, as per the 2011 census, Muslims constitute about 9.5 per cent of the population.
The former AP CM also announced plans to offer financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh to Muslims undertaking the Haj yatra and provide Rs 5 lakh in interest-free loans through a minority finance corporation.
Furthermore, he mentioned that Imams and Maujans will receive honorariums of Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000, respectively, while qualified Imams will be appointed as government Qazis.
The TDP, Janasena and BJP are NDA alliance partners in the southern state.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, YSRCP is contesting alone in all 25 parliamentary constituencies and the 175 seats of the state assembly. It is up against the Congress-led INDIA bloc and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), former CM N Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party (JSP).
As part of a seat-sharing deal among NDA partners, the TDP was allocated 144 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha constituencies, while the BJP will contest from six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats.
Janasena will contest two Lok Sabha and 21 Assembly seats. Elections for the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled for May 13 and the counting of votes will be held on June 4.
Earlier on Wednesday, the TDP-BJP-JSP alliance in Andhra Pradesh released its joint manifesto christened ‘Praja Manifesto’ for the upcoming polls in the state, promising to offer Rs 1,500 monthly pension to eligible women.