MIM would work for the welfare of minorities in the two states post the division of Andhra Pradesh, its chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said here today.
"We will strive for protection of Muslim interests not only in one state, but in both the states. We will demand and ensure that the reservation being given to Muslims is continued in both the states," he told reporters.
The Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (MIM) would make efforts for increasing the minority budget, he said.
The party would also demand that Urdu be made the first official language along with Telugu in Telangana and expressed hope that Urdu would continue to be second official language in the other state.
MIM has been a strong supporter of united Andhra Pradesh and conveyed its stand to the government as well as the Sri Krishna Committee on several occasions.
"At long last, the Congress and the UPA have come out of their self-imposed indecisiveness and taken the decision now, though we may differ with the way this decision has been "imposed" on the political parties in the state as a 'fait accompli'," the party said in a press note.
The MIM would like to assure cooperation to both the Union and the state government in ensuring a smooth transition to the two states as the bifurcation of AP would be completed in a short time-frame, the note said.
Saying that electoral prospects appeared to be a consideration for the decision to form Telangana, Owaisi, however, felt that Congress may not get the benefit as people from other regions in substantial numbers have made Telangana their home.
BJP would gain strength eventually in the Telangana state as TRS and TDP might be weakened, but the MIM would continue to stand for secularism, he added.
