Vijayawada: A team of senior BJP leaders met Telugu Desam chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu here on Thursday and discussed the 3-party alliance’s poll strategies in AP and the issue of Muslim reservations.
The team comprised Union Commerce minister Piyush Goyal, BJP national general secretary Arun Singh, BJP national joint secretary Siva Prakash and BJP state general secretary (organisation) S. Madhukar.
After the meeting, Piyush Goyal made a key announcement at a press conference, affirming that the BJP “is against Muslim reservations.”
He made it clear that the BJP favoured only the SC, ST, BC and OBC reservations as also the EWS, and stressed that no reservation will be given to Muslims.
According to sources, Naidu explained the political situation in AP to these leaders and claimed that the people were ready to dethrone the YSR Congress from power in the present Assembly elections.
When both sides discussed the Muslim reservations, Naidu said the cancellation of 4 per cent reservations to Muslims will impact the election outcome. Hence Naidu urged the BJP leaders not to raise the issue in AP.
But, the BJP leaders made it clear that the party was against Muslim reservations. This has been their national-level policy. “We are against religion-based reservations to Muslims,” they stressed.
