VIJAYAWADA: Muslim minority leaders of the TDP are set to make a proposal before party supremo and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu seeking tickets of 10 Assembly constituencies for candidates from their community in the coming 2019 elections. In fact, there is no Muslim TDP MLA in the present House.
The Muslim minority leaders are busy with preparations for the successful conduct of the Minority Convention christened ‘Nara Hamara - TDP Hamara’ to be held in Guntur on August 28. The leaders are touring the entire State and organising meetings with the elders and masses of the community in all districts for mobilising a large number of people to the meet.
During the meetings, several leaders are expressing their enthusiasm to represent the TDP in next elections and appealing to the minority community leaders to move a proposal before the party high command regarding their candidature.
A Muslim minority leader of the TDP said that they have already identified some constituencies suitable for fielding candidates from the community and are in the process of identifying some more constituencies.
“Soon, we are going to submit a proposal to party chief Naidu seeking 10 seats, which we are confident of winning, to contest in the coming Assembly elections,” he added.
When asked about the proposal, a senior leader of the TDP told TNIE that unlike 2014 elections, the ruling party may allocate more seats to the community. In 2014, when the TDP contested in alliance with the BJP, the community was given only one MLA seat — Piler of Chittoor district.
“In the last elections, we have allocated 15 Assembly seats to the BJP. But, as we will have more seats now, there is possibility of giving some seats to minorities,’’ the TDP leader said.
Cabinet expansion on cards?
State Cabinet expansion likely before Aug 28 convention.
‘Nara Hamara - TDP Hamara’
TDP Muslim leaders are busy making the Minority Convention christened ‘Nara Hamara - TDP Hamara’ to be held in Guntur on August 28 a huge success.
The leaders are touring the entire State and organising meetings in all districts for mobilising a large number of people to the meet.
Muslim representation
In fact, there is no presence of minority leader in the Cabinet and Naidu is planning to induct a minority leader into the Cabinet before the convention. S
ources say that an event with regard to the minor expansion of the Cabinet is likely to be held on any day after the completion of week-long mourning days being observed as a mark of respect to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee