PRAYAGRAJ, April 18 -- Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Friday said political parties opposing women's reservation would face backlash from women voters. Speaking to mediapersons at the Circuit House during his two-day visit to Prayagraj, he targeted opposition parties over their stance on the issue.

Responding to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's remarks seeking separate reservation for Muslim women, Maurya accused him of indulging in vote-bank politics and "Muslim appeasement."

He said the Constitution does not allow reservation on the basis of religion and added that the Union Home Minister had already clarified this in Parliament. "If Akhilesh Yadav wishes, he can field Muslim women candidates in his party in the n...