Regional parties criticised for ignoring Muslims

Vijayawada: Muslim Personal Law Board state president Althaf Raza has said it is better for Muslims of Andhra Pradesh to vote for the BJP directly rather than voting to the regional parties, which support the BJP on the pretext of development of the state. He suggested the Muslims to directly cast their vote to BJP and prove their strength in the BJP and have their share in the party. In a press release on Sunday, he felt all the regional parties in the state have to work with the BJP government at the Centre. He said intellectuals in the country suspect that as long as elections are held with EVMs the BJP will rule the country.

In this backdrop, it will be better for Muslims to vote for the BJP instead of casting their vote to regional parties. He said the regional parties claim that they have alliance with the BJP in the interest of the state and for the development of the State.

Althaf Raza lamented the regional parties are not nominating the Muslim candidates to Rajya Sabha.

He said if the Muslim candidates are nominated to Rajya Sabha they can prevent the passing of bills that are detrimental to the interests of the Muslims in India. He said the regional parties on the pretext of development and future of Andhra Pradesh are doing friendship with the BJP.

He felt nothing is wrong if Muslims directly vote for the BJP. He questioned why not the regional parties nominate Muslim candidates to Rajya Sabha and asked the Muslims to think of it. He said the regional parties are not nominating Muslim candidates to Rajya Sabha to get applause from the BJP. Althaf Raza said if the regional parties really support Muslims, they nominate Muslim candidates to Rajya Sabha and field candidates to contest in the Lok Sabha elections.