Hyderabad: Passage of the Muslim and ST quota Bills in the Assembly is likely to be delayed further. This is because the government is learnt to be taking a relook on the quantum of quota hike.
While Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had promised quota of 12 per cent each for both Muslims and STs, a new proposal is learnt to be mooted now over restricting Muslim quota to either 8 or 9 per cent. Similar, is the case with ST quota.
The government is dillydallying over how to go about on this issue before finalising the quota Bill. Mr Chandrasekhar Rao had on March 20 announced in the House that the government will convene a special session of the Assembly within a week but the BC Commission is yet to submit the report.
The government wants to refer the report to the Law department before the Cabinet approves it and it is tabled in the Assembly. The process is expected to take a few more days.
TRS sources said “political factors” also seem to be the reason for delay. They said some senior party leaders brought to the notice of the CM that there was no guarantee that Muslim quota hike would benefit TRS in the 2019 elections but it would definitely help the BJP grow stronger by adopting UP-model of polarisation of
Hindu votes since it has chalked out plans to expand in state on the plank of opposing Muslim quota. They told the CM that the impact of Muslim voters will be more in Old City, where MIM holds sway and TRS can’t wrest seats from MIM even if it increases quota but it would affect the ruling party’s poll prospects in other seats. They requested Mr Chandrasekhar Rao to assess all the pros and cons thoroughly before going ahead on Muslim quota.
Leaving political compulsions aside, it is also learnt that the Sudheer Commission and BC Commission were also in favour of 8 or 9 per cent quota for Muslims and had conveyed the same to the CM.
With regard to ST quota, officials informed Mr Chandrasekhar Rao that their population was below 10 per cent and extending 12 per cent quota would not be possible based on their population.
