In the midst of considerable decline in Muslim vote bank, the Telangana Congress party, who has lost its minority allegiance to the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in 2014 elections, is gearing up to undertake a sweeping outreach initiative aimed at the minority communities throughout Telangana. As the Assembly elections are approaching, the party is working hard to recover its lost support among minority voters and strengthen its bond with them.
The Minority Declaration Committee held its first meeting on Monday at Gandhi Bhavan, Telangana. During this meeting, the committee talked to different minority groups and gathered their valuable suggestions and insights. They are supposed to put these ideas together to create a strong action plan, outlining key points for the Congress’s state election strategy. The expected outcome of these discussions, a preliminary declaration, should be ready by the end of this month. Subsequently, this draft will be presented by prominent figures within the All India Congress Committee (AICC).
In Telangana state, the Muslim population constitutes approximately 13% of the total electorate, while Christians constitute 1%. After forming an alliance with AIMIM, a party that represents the Muslim minority and is led by Asaduddin Owaisi, the BRS party has been gaining substantial backing from Muslim voters.
Recently, the state administration under the leadership of K Chandrashekar Rao introduced the ‘Minority Bandhu’ Economic Support Scheme for Minorities, which extends financial assistance of 1 lakh to eligible members of both Christian and Muslim families. The age criterion for applicants stands between 21 and 55 years, as of June 2, 2023. Furthermore, the KCR government has already initiated the ‘Shadi Mubarak’ scheme, entailing a grant of Rs 1,00,116 to eligible Muslim brides.
Mohammad Ali Shabbir to the Press
Addressing the press following the committee meeting, Mohammad Ali Shabbir, a prominent voice within the Telangana Congress, candidly acknowledged the party’s current situation. He revealed that around 75% of the Muslim vote in the state had now aligned with the BRS, necessitating the Congress’s strategic measures to rebuild the trust and confidence of this crucial demographic. Shabbir also levelled accusations against KCR, asserting that the state government had disregarded the welfare of minority communities, curtailed their access to resources, and systematically excluded them from various governmental bodies, all of which he deemed as part of a larger agenda. He pointed out a decline in Muslim representation, highlighting that while there were six Muslim Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs) during the Congress regime, the number had dwindled to just one at present.