New Delhi, Feb 9 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tuesday opposed the decision of the West Bengal government to provide 10 per cent quota in government jobs for Muslims under the backward class category.

'This is a decision taken with an eye to next year's assembly elections. Politics of appeasement is central to the politics of the Left and Congress,' BJP spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy told IANS here.

He said the decision will meet the same fate as the Andhra Pradesh law providing four percent reservation in government jobs and educational institutions to 15 socially and educationally backward classes among Muslims.

'I feel the decision of West Bengal government will meet the same fate as the religion-based law of Andhra Pradesh that has been quashed by the state high court,' Rudy said, adding that such a decision will be in the interest of the country.

He said that BJP does not favour religion-based reservation policy.

The Left government in West Bengal Monday announced 10 per cent reservation in government jobs for other backward classes among Muslims. But in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh High Court quashed a state law providing four per cent jobs to certain identified backward classes among Muslims.