Minority institutions respond positively to Congress appeal for Graduate MLC polls

Hyderabad: Heads of nearly 15 minority educational institutions in Telangana responded positively to Congress’s appeal for support in the Graduate MLC polls. They met Government Advisor and senior Congress leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir at his Jubilee Hills residence on Wednesday evening, November 4.

The representatives assured Shabbir Ali that they would consider supporting Congress candidates. They also agreed to encourage their alumni to vote for the party in the upcoming elections.

AICC Secretary Sachin Sawant, TPCC Senior Vice-President Zafar Javeed and representatives of nearly 15 institutions attended the meeting. Candidate Sama Rammohan Reddy also participated.

The discussions focused on securing support for Sama Rammohan Reddy in the Mahabubnagar-Ranga Reddy-Hyderabad Graduates’ Constituency. They also discussed support for Ramreddy Sarvotham Reddy in the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda constituency.

Among those present were Zafar Javeed of M.J. College (Sultan-ul-Uloom), Mujahid Alam Khan of Anwar-ul-Uloom College and Syed Basha Mohiuddin of Lords Engineering College. Mohammed Qayyum of Presidency College, Mohd Ghouse of Azad College of Engineering and Mohammed Habeeb of MRM College also attended. Mohammed Anwar, Director of M.S. Junior College, and representatives of other institutions joined them.

Shabbir Ali urged the managements to reach out to thousands of graduates associated with their colleges. He said their extensive alumni networks could significantly improve Congress candidates’ prospects in both constituencies.

Congress leaders highlight minority education and electoral support

Recalling previous Congress governments, Shabbir Ali highlighted their contribution to minority education. He particularly referred to the tenure of former Chief Minister Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.

He said government encouragement and approvals helped establish hundreds of minority educational institutions. These included medical, engineering and other professional colleges. Consequently, Hyderabad emerged as a major centre for minority education.

He also highlighted fee reimbursement, scholarships and other educational assistance schemes. According to him, these initiatives helped economically disadvantaged students pursue professional courses without excessive financial pressure.

Shabbir Ali specifically referred to the four per cent reservation for socially and educationally backward Muslims. He said the Congress government introduced the policy and claimed nearly 22 lakh Muslims across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh had benefited.

He added that beneficiaries secured educational admissions and employment opportunities. Thousands of minority students in Hyderabad and neighbouring districts became doctors, engineers, teachers and other professionals.

Turning to the present government, Shabbir Ali said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy remained committed to strengthening minority education. He also referred to infrastructure improvements and efforts to address institutional challenges. Shabbir Ali expressed confidence that the government would continue Dr Rajasekhara Reddy’s educational legacy.

Meanwhile, Sachin Sawant linked the Graduate MLC polls to Rahul Gandhi’s nationwide campaign against alleged electoral irregularities. He accused the BJP and RSS of attempting to manipulate elections through what Congress describes as “vote chori”.

Sawant said educated voters had a special responsibility to protect constitutional values and democratic institutions. He praised Rahul Gandhi’s campaign and said it defended the voting rights of minorities, Dalits, backward classes and other vulnerable sections.

Furthermore, Sawant argued that victories in both constituencies would strengthen Rahul Gandhi’s campaign. He claimed such an outcome would send a strong political message from Telangana to the rest of the country.

Referring to recent graduates’ and teachers’ constituency elections in northern states, Sawant claimed the BJP had suffered setbacks in some contests. He attributed the results to dissatisfaction among educated voters. He urged institutional heads to personally contact alumni and explain the political significance of the elections.

During the meeting, representatives raised administrative difficulties affecting their educational institutions. They sought the State Government’s intervention to resolve these issues.

Shabbir Ali and Sawant assured them that they would take up the concerns with Revanth Reddy and the concerned departments. They said the Congress government recognised the contribution of minority institutions and remained committed to their development.

Sama Rammohan Reddy offered to act as a bridge between educational institutions and the State Government. He assured the representatives of efforts to address their concerns.

He also urged college managements to encourage eligible alumni to register as voters. In addition, he appealed to them to mobilise support for Congress candidates in both Graduate MLC polls constituencies.