From Mohammed Siddique, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad : Only 12 Muslims figure in the list of 294 Congress candidates for the Andhra Pradesh assembly elections, which is less than 5% of the total tickets. This has come as a major disappointment to the community, which constitutes nearly 10% of the state’s 8 crore population.
The candidates include minister for minority welfare Mohammed Ali Shabbir from Kamareddy in Nizamabad district, minister Mohammed Fareeduddin from the new constituency of Amberpet in Hyderabad, the deputy chairman of legislative council Mohamed Jani from Kodad in Nalgonda district, former Vijaywada city Mayor Malika Begum from Vijaywada west, sitting MLAs Syed Ahmadullah from his old constituency Kadapa city and Mastan Vali for Guntur East. The new faces are Babar Saleem Pasha from Ramagundam in Karimnagar district, Shahe Jahan Basha from Madanapalle in Chittoor district and Raza Hussain Azad from Bahadurpura in Hyderabad. The names of three other candidates were not clear. No Muslim has been given a ticket from the district of Kurnool and Anantapur in Rayala Seema which have significant population of Muslim minority. However the sitting Congress MP has been renominated from Hindupur Lok Sabha constituency in Anantapur district.
Christian minority has got two and other minority groups have got two tickets.
The Congress’ list of candidates has also come as a big blow to the backward castes. Though the BCs constitute 50% population of the state, the have been given only 66% assembly seats or 20% of all the tickets. The domination of the upper caste on the party was visible in the fact that 141 tickets went to them, with Reddys getting the lion’s share of 87 tickets and 16 to Kamma.
The break up of the upper caste candidates: Kamma 16, Velama 8, Kshatriya 7, Vysya 4 and Brahmin 4. The 48 tickets allotted to the Dalits were shared by Madigas 23 and Malas 25. Tribals were given tickets from 19 constituencies.
The candidates for the four assembly constituencies are yet to be decided. Tickets have been denied 48 sitting MLAs including three ministers. However two of hem have been replaced by their sons and one by his wife.
The other interesting aspects is that four pairs of husband and wife will be contesting on Congress tickets. Similarly six pairs of brothers will also be in the fray on the Congress tickets. At least two MLAS who were not given ticket have got the tickets for their sons while another axed MLA’s wife has got the ticket.
Out of the 42 Lok Sabha tickets, 18 have gone to the upper castes. They include 8 to Reddys, 5 to Kammas, three to Kapus, one each to Brahmins and Kshatriyas. 11 tickets or 26.19% to the backward classes, one each to Muslim and Christian minority, 8 to Dalits and three to the tribals.