Telangana will go to the polls on November 30. With less than ten days to go for the polling, all eyes are on Muslims, who constitute nearly 13 per cent of the state’s 3.26 crore voters. The ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the opposition Congress are going all out to woo Muslim voters, who are considered a key factor in 40 out of the 119 Assembly constituencies. The BRS, which is aiming for a hat-trick in power, is confident that Muslim voters will once again back it while a resurgent Congress is expecting a repeat of Karnataka, where Muslims played a key role in bringing Congress to power.
However, the Muslim votes may get divided between BRS and Congress. The situation in Karnataka can’t be compared with Telangana. During its previous rule in Karnataka, the BJP was pushing forward Hindutva agenda with ban on Hijab and controversies like Halal and Love Jihad. Moreover, there was no alternative for Muslims in Karnataka. However, Telangana is a different ball game. Ever since the formation of Telangana state in 2014, it is ruled by BRS, which has a secular image and the state under its rule has been free from any major communal riot or issues like mob lynching, Hijab or Halal.
The BRS is pinning its hopes on its friendly party Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), a dominant player in Hyderabad politics and which has considerable influence among the community in the rest of the state. The Asaduddin Owaisi-led party is contesting nine seats, including the seven it holds, while in the remaining constituencies it is backing its friendly party BRS. Barring seven seats which MIM has been winning since 2009, Congress has given tickets to only two Muslim candidates while sitting MLA Mohammed Shakil Aamir is its lone Muslim candidate.
Muslim United Forum which comprises some Muslim socio-religious groups considered close to MIM has also declared support to the BRS. However, some other groups like Jamiat-ul Ulema and Tehreek-e-Muslim Shabban have come out in support of the Congress party. There are some other groups who have not taken a clear stand. The BRS also claims to have increased the minority welfare budget to Rs 2,200 crore in 2023-24. The Congress promised to increase the minority budget to Rs 4,000 crore.
However, the allegation by the Congress party that there is secret understanding among BJP, BRS and MIM may impact the opinion in some sections of the community. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have been targeting MIM for helping BJP by fielding its candidates in states where the Congress is locked in direct fight with the BJP to divide Muslim votes and defeat Congress candidates. Whether Muslim voters continue to back BRS or switch their support to Congress for a change of guard remains a million-dollar question.
