The delimitation of GHMC wards ahead of elections has resulted in a political slugfest
Representational image
Hyderabad: The delimitation of GHMC wards ahead of elections has resulted in a political slugfest. The TRS government, which took up a massive delimitation exercise that lasted nearly a year to increase the wards from existing 150 to 200, took a U-turn last week, and decided to stick to 150 wards, leaving many stunned. The U-turn is being seen as a move to benefit the TRS-MIM combine and weaken TD-BJP alliance.
The TRS, which is politically weak in GHMC limits, is eager to tie up with the MIM to check the TD-BJP combine from bagging the mayor’s seat. Addition and deletion of some localities and voters in some wards is adding credence to these arguments. For instance, Barkatpura and Vidyanagar wards, considered to be the solid vote bank of the BJP in Amberpet division, have been removed and Golnaka and Amberpet, which are known to be the strongholds of the MIM, added in their place.
The TD-BJP combine has a stronghold in Secunderabad while MIM has stronghold in Hyderabad. As part of delimitation, as many as 11 wards were removed from Secunderabad while it was only five in case of Hyderabad. “All these instances show how the ruling TRS and the MIM joined hands to win GHMC elections, by hook or by crook. Delimitation exercise is supposed to be done in a scientific manner, but the process is being taken up in such an unscientific way only to benefit the TRS-MIM combine. The addition and deletion of some localities have no geographical relevance,” said G. Kishan Reddy, TS BJP president.
BJP Floor leader K. Laxman, who represents Musheerabad constituency, went on a day-long satyagraha at Indira Park on Friday to protest the unscientific delimitation of wards.
“In Musheerabad constituency, additions and deletions of localities and voters were made to serve the purpose of TRS-MIM combine. The ruling TRS and MIM are making a mockery of democracy even before the elections are held,” Mr Laxman said.
However, TRS leader M. Hanumantha Rao refuted these allegations. “Political parties have no role to play in the delimitation exercise. TRS is becoming stronger by the day in GHMC limits due to the development policies adopted by the Chief Minister and is all set to bag the Mayor’s seat whenever elections are held. Unable to digest this, the TD-BJP combine is making an unnecessary fuss over delimitation,” he said.
MIM MLA Jaffer Hussain Meraj said the party has no objection whether wards are reduced or increased and there was no need for it to manipulate the delimitation. City TD president Krishna Yadav alleged that GHMC commissioner Somesh Kumar was acting like a TRS agent and taking up delimitation exercise to benefit the TRS-MIM combine.
Battle of wits may end up in court:
The BJP and TD plan to move the High Court once the government comes out with draft notification on delimitation of wards as they suspect that the boundaries and voters of existing wards in the GHMC are being changed unscientifically to benefit the TRS-MIM combine. As per the plans drafted by officials, Barkatpura and Vidyanagar wards in Amberpet constituency, Domalguda and Ramnagar wards in Musheerabad constituency, Balkampet in Sanathnagar constituency, Panjagutta in Khairatabad constituency, Jambagh, Sultan Bazar, Gunfoundry, Dhoolpet wards in Goshamahal constituency have been removed.
Karmanghat, P&T Colony in LB Nagar constituency have been removed and AS Rao Nagar and HB Colony have been added in Uppal constituency which are held by TD and BJP respectively. BJP GHMC unit chief B. Venkat Reddy said the party planned to move the High Court against the unscientific delimitation of wards to benefit TRS-MIM combine.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
Next Story
