Hyderabad: The ruling TRS is fine-tuning a strategy on the lines of the “Bengaluru-model” to wrest the mayor’s seat in forthcoming GHMC elections.
In the Begaluru elections held recently, though the BJP won a majority of the seats, the ruling Congress bagged the mayor’s seat taking advantage of the voting rights to MPs, MLAs etc.
The sudden U-turn by TRS government on retaining the number of wards at 150 against its earlier decision of increasing them to 200 is being viewed as a step in this direction.
The TRS leadership is hopeful that if it manages to win around 70 of the 150 divisions in the GHMC, it can manage the remaining 10 seats required for a majority utilising the voting rights of the MPs, MLAs, MLCs etc.
The TRS leadership feels this strategy could not be implemented if the number of wards is more than at present, as an internal survey done by the party indicated that it could win a maximum of around 70 wards in the GHMC limits. TRS is confident of bagging the mayor’s seat with the support of MIM, if it manages to win 50 to 65 divisions. MIM has a considerable number of MLAs, besides an MP and an MLC.
If MLC polls under local bodies quota are also held by then, the notification for which is expected any time now, TRS hopes to get two more additional MLC seats. TRS hopes that with the support of MIM and members who defected from other parties, it co-uld easily secure 85 to 95 votes in GHMC council, making the mayor seat a cinch.
TS BJP president and Amberpet MLA G. Kishan Reddy said, “The sudden U-turn by the TRS government restricting wards to 150 from 200 shows that the ruling party is banking on ex-officio members such as MLAs, MLCs, MPs to win GHMC elections. If wards are increased to 200, there is no way both TRS and MIM could cross the half-way mark together. It is for this reason the wards were deliberately kept lower despite the steep increase in population in GHMC limits over the last six years.”
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