In a bid to woo back the Muslim minority on the eve of the next elections, the main opposition Telugu Desam Partyhas promised four percent reservations to the community in the state assembly and the local bodies and earmarking Rs6 billion in the annual budget for the welfare of the community. It is one of the several attractive promised Naidu ruled out while addressing the meeting of the state minority cell of TDP, attended by the leaders from all over the state. As the present Congress government has already its promise of providing four percent reservation to the backward sections of Muslim community in education and government jobs, the TDP has promised to extend it to the political power. “On coming to power we will provide four per cent reservations to Muslims in municipal and Panchayat bodies, Mandal Parishad and Zilla Parishad along with the state assembly and parliament,” he said. Naidu also committed his party to protect the Waqf land and promised that the Waqf land already allotted to private companies and others in violation of rules will be taken back and restored to the Waqf Board. He said that a Waqf Tribunal will be set up to protect the Waqf land. TDP, which had lost the complete support of Muslim community after it had extended support to the BJP led NDA government at the center in 1999, is now facing an uphill task of winning them back even as the ruling Congress party has strengthened its hold over the community through several measures including the reservation, increase in the minority welfare budge to Rs1.8 billion and scholarship to the Muslim students. __
