BJP accuses TRS of vote-bank politics over Muslim quota

Hyderabad: The BJP today alleged that TRS government in Telangana was indulging in "vote-bank politics" with its decision to increase the quota for the backward sections of Muslim community.

"This religion-based reservation is an attempt by the Chief Minister (K Chandrasekhar Rao) to cover up his failures of the last three years. It is clear that they are indulging in vote-bank politics," Telangana BJP president K Laxman said.

The Telangana cabinet yesterday decided to convene the state Assembly on April 16 to pass a bill for increasing quotas for the backward sections of Muslim community, and the Scheduled Tribes.

Chief Minister Rao had said the state would ask the Centre to facilitate implementation of the bill, as the increase in quota would breach the overall cap of 50 per cent.

Increasing the reservations for minorities and STs was a key election promise of TRS.

Opposition TDP demanded that TRS should implement its election promise in letter and spirit. TDP politburo member R Chandrasekhar Reddy wondered why the TRS government said it would fight with the Centre, if necessary, to implement the increased quotas.

Countering him, state Animal Husbandry Minister T Srinivas Yadav said, "Everybody in the country knows who does politics with the help of religion. We have clearly said the proposed reservation is not a religious reservation.