Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu made desperate attempts to forge a friendship with the Bharatiya Janata Party and return to the National Democratic Alliance fold, ultimately succeeding in forming an alliance for the upcoming elections.
However, the aggressive stance taken by the BJP national leadership on various issues and the statements made by top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, against Muslims, have placed Naidu in an awkward position.
For instance, Shah's recent statement in the neighboring state of Odisha, where he declared that if the BJP returns to power at the Centre, it would abolish the four percent reservations granted to Muslims in education and employment, has put Naidu in a difficult spot.
Shah asserted that religious-based reservations are unconstitutional, and the Centre would not permit them.
He announced that there would be no reservations for Muslims nationwide, and the current quota would be redistributed among SCs, STs, and OBCs.
Naturally, this announcement by the BJP leadership has incited anger among Muslims.
In Andhra Pradesh, where they currently enjoy four percent reservations, this could significantly impact the electoral prospects of the BJP and its allies.
"This announcement by Shah has naturally instilled a sense of insecurity among Muslims. This discontent will likely affect the BJP's alliance partners, particularly the TDP, which is striving to garner support from the Muslim community," remarked a TDP leader.
The YSR Congress Party swiftly responded to this development, exerting pressure on the TDP and Naidu. YSRCP leaders are questioning whether Naidu would endorse Shah's decision or openly oppose it.
"Naidu must issue a statement, either backing the BJP's stance or denouncing it publicly. He must clarify whether he will challenge the Modi government on the issue of Muslim reservations," they demand.
Although Naidu has yet to respond, he reportedly believes that the decision to implement the four percent quota for Muslims falls within the jurisdiction of the state government, and the Centre has no authority over it.
However, given that the BJP is a part of the state-level alliance, Naidu should elucidate his position on what actions he would take if the BJP were to join a TDP-led government post-elections.
Specifically, he must clarify whether he would uphold the quota or revoke it under pressure from the BJP.