Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on May 9 (Thursday) criticised the “political tactics” of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chandrababu Naidu, likening the latter to a chameleon.
Addressing a public meeting here, the Chief Minister accused Mr. Naidu of aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to eliminate reservations for Muslims, while pretending to be a champion of minorities simultaneously. “Such tactics are disingenuous. It is nothing but opportunistic politics,” he said.
Mtr. Jagan Mohan Reddy emphasised the importance of providing adequate reservations regardless of religion or caste to those genuinely in need. He said providing reservations solely based on religious affiliation “was misguided and could lead to social divisions.” He called into question the motives behind Mr. Naidu’s political alliance with the BJP, pointing out that the latter had expressed its intention to eliminate the reservations available for the minorities.
The Chief Minister said that the YSRCP government was committed to providing equal opportunities to all, irrespective of their background. He cited examples of measures taken by his government such as the Shaadi Tohfa scheme for minorities and special recognition for the Urdu language. He also highlighted that a member of a minority community was appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister for a five-year term and that seven Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) belonged to the minority communities.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy argued that showing love and respect to the backward communities was key to building their self-confidence and self-esteem. He said the YSRCP government aimed to provide a level playing field for all sections of society, adding that this approach would ultimately benefit the State as a whole.
The YSRCP MP and MLA candidates from Kurnool and Nandyal districts were present.
