Hyderabad: The unanimous victory of TRS candidates in six MLC seats has shocked the Opposition which is preparing for the GHMC polls. Congress, TD and BJP are apprehensive, fearing a repeat of the “MLC election-like” operation by the ruling party in the civic body polls so that it can wrest control of the prestigious GHMC.
However, TRS leaders insist that the people will vote for policies and programmes of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. “The TRS may undertake a similar “operation” in GHMC polls to win the polls by hook or crook. TRS will also “manage” Opposition candidates. What can any party do if a candidate who is issued ‘B’ Form, files the nomination and later withdraws from the contest? It’s highly unethical and against democratic norms,” said BJP spokesperson Krishna Sagar.
Minister T. Harish Rao’s prediction that the TRS will win 70-plus seats and panchayat raj minister K.T. Rama Rao’s claim that surveys indicate a win in 75 to 80 municipal divisions in Hyderabad has sent a chill down the spine of Opposition leaders.
“People should back a leader like KCR who works for their betterment,” Mr Rama Rao said. He said that if people give a five-year term to the TRS, the party would develop Hyderabad when other parties failed to do so.
“TRS has adopted this new formula of “managing” Opposition candidates mostly through packages. I don’t think threats will work. They might have been lured and the candidates might have fallen prey to it. Statements of Harish Rao and KTR indicate the game plan,” said Mr Krishna Sagar.
TD working president A. Revanth Reddy said, “TRS is acting in a highly undemocratic manner with regard to GHMC elections. KTR and Harish Rao are targeting the TD. We will hit them back. TD will win a majority of the seats. Congress former MLA Sashidhar Reddy said that withdrawal of the party’s nominees in MLC elections was shocking to say the least and it indicated arm-twisting by the TRS. “Such actions will be temporary. They will face the music one day,” he said.
However, TRS MLC B. Venkateswarulu refuted the Opposition charges saying that the TRS cannot be blamed for what the Opposition candidates did.
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