Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen Lok Sabha member Asaduddin Owaisi has categorically told the Congress leadership that Telangana sentiment was visible only in four out of the 10 districts in Telangana region.
In a letter to the Congress party’s central leadership, the Hyderabad MP had dwelt at length on the need to protect the interests of the minorities while taking a decision on Telangana. He had warned that bifurcation of the State would not bring windfall to the ruling party in Telangana but would deal a body blow to it in Seemandhra region.
Sources said in his letter, Mr. Asaduddin pointed out that the sentiment was confined to Karimnagar, Warangal, Adilabad and Nizamabad districts which have only six Lok Sabha seats. “This is not evident in the other six districts—Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medak, Nalgonda, Mahbubnagar and Khammam, with 11 Lok Sabha seats,” he quoted in the letter. He said people of Seemandhra region, comprising 13 districts and 25 Lok Sabha constituencies were stoutly opposed to bifurcation of the State.
Mr. Asaduddin drove home the concerns of the Muslims and was said to have mentioned that bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh would not be in the interests of the people, more particularly the Muslim community, as well as nation.
Party sources said the MIM has consistently conveyed its categorical and definitive stand against bifurcation to the Congress leaders as well as the Srikrishna Committee. It pointed out that Muslims constitute nine percent of the State’s population, including 12.5 percent each in Telangana and Rayalaseema regions and 4.5 percent in the Coastal Andhra region.
The MIM leadership noted that out of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in the State, 17 constituencies have Muslim voters in excess of 10 percent. Seven of these constituencies have more than 15 percent Muslim voters. Similarly, out of the 294 Assembly seats in the State, 95 constituencies have Muslim voters in excess of 10 percent and 15 per cent in 65 segments.
