Hyderabad: Now that polls to gram panchayats, municipalities, municipal corporations, Assemblies and Lok Sabha are completed, all the political parties have shifted their focus from elections to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.
The elected body of corporators in GHMC will complete its term in December this year after which polls are likely to be conducted for the biggest civic body in the state. The GHMC takes care of civic administration in Greater Hyderabad that is the joint capital for the next 10 years for both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. As a result, polls for the GHMC assume significance and every political party want to have its representation in the GHMC.
The entry of Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena will make the contest much more interesting in Greater Hyderabad local body polls. After attending Narendra Modi’s meeting in Delhi, Pawan Kalyan said his next target is the GHMC polls and he is likely to field candidates. In such a case, it will be the TD-BJP-Jana Sena alliance. The TD-BJP has already won 14 Assembly and two Parliament seats in Greater Hyderabad in 2014-polls.
The TRS has won three Assembly and one Parliament seat and its candidates secured second place in nine other assembly segments. The TRS that has befriended the MIM may pitch in for an alliance with the MIM to counter the TD-BJP-Jana Sena formidable alliance.
The TRS leaders are beaming with confidence as its vote share in Greater Hyderabad has jumped from a dismal 4.60 per cent in 2009 polls to 19.62 per cent in 2014-elections.
Even the YSR Congress that fielded candidates from all 24 Assembly segments in the city will contest the GHMC polls.
“One should not go by the performance of the YSRC candidates in Greater Hyderabad in the recently concluded Assembly and Parliament elections. The party (YSRC) will do well in GHMC elections,” said J. Pratap of the YSRC who contested from Kukatpally Assembly constituency.
Telugu Desam Greater Hyderabad President Talasani Srinivas Yadav who emerged victorious from Sanathnagar Assembly seat, said people had got fed up with Congress due to its corrupt politics and administration.
“They have voted for TD in general elections and will give complete majority to TD-BJP alliance in GHMC polls too. We are already raise civic issues and preparing for GHMc polls," he said and added that top party leaders will decide about the alliance in case Jana Sena wants to contest.
Though the Congress faced a complete rout in 24 Assembly and four Lok Sabha seats in Greater Hyderabad in just concluded 2014-polls, its leaders are confident that the GHMC polls will be a different ball game.
“The MIM will benefit more if it sails with Congress in GHMC polls,” said a senior Congress leader. The party is preparing to restore some pride by winning a sizeable number of seats at least in GHMC elections.
