‘Muslims are being treated as vote bank by all parties’

Visakhapatnam: In an unprecedented move, veteran TDP leaders, Dr S A Rahman and Dr Zaheer Ahmed openly demanded proper representation for Muslims across the state and urged the TDP leadership not to let down the veteran Muslim cadre and leadership in the TDP and cautioned that the Muslim community, a sizeable minority, could well swing the vote.

During a press meet held here on Monday, veteran TDP leaders expressed anguish over the manner in which Muslim leaders have been run roughshod in the state. Addressing the media, they said Muslims, who account for over nine per cent of the population, have not been given due representation, despite sacrifices by the Muslim leadership and cadre of the party.

Sayed Rafi, convener, Muslim Representation Forum, addressing the media, said. “Muslims account for over nine per cent of the population in AP and despite their numerical presence, there is not a single MP or MLA candidate to represent the community from the TDP. Both TDP and YSRC are using the community as a vote bank instead of giving proper representation.”

Both Dr Zaheer Ahmed and Dr S A Rahman made it clear that they would stay loyal to the party but urged the chief minister to provide greater representation to Muslims across the state.

Later in the evening, over 400 Muslim youth led by TDP minority cell leader Mohammed Sadiq took out a rally in support of chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu. The rally thanked the CM for recent development grants made to te community, including the grant of a Shadi Khana and community hall.