Alliance solid, say TD-BJP leaders

TS BJP unit president G. Kishan Reddy and TS Telugu Desam president A. Revanth Reddy announced on Friday that the alliance between the two parties will continue in the GHMC polls too.

Leaders of both the parties exuded confidence that the combine would win the GHMC polls and wrest the mayor seat.

“Talks on sharing of seats may begin in next two or three days. Our alliance with the TD will continue. We are confident of winning 60 to 70 seats,” a senior BJP functionary told this newspaper.

In the last GHMC polls held on November 23, 2009, for 150 divisions, the Congress won 52 seats, TD 45, MIM 43, BJP 5, PRP 1 and Independents 4. Leaders of all political parties are waiting with bathed breath for Telangana State Election Commission to announce reservations for the municipal divisions so that they could select the candidates, especially in reserved category.

“Everyone is waiting for the SEC to announce reservation of wards. Once this is announced, seat sharing and other related issues would be taken up,” Mr Kishan Reddy said. He discussed election strategy with city BJP leaders at the party office on Friday.

“We have geared up for elections. We have established polling booth, division and Assembly committees. We are holding regular meetings along with our ally, the TD. We have opened election offices in 50 divisions. By January 2 and 3, we will open war rooms in state party office and divisions” Mr Kishan Reddy said.

He said in the last general elections in Hyderabad, TRS won only two Assembly seats, whereas the TD-BJP combine won 14 Assembly and two Lok Sabha seats. “We are a strong party whereas the TRS is very weak. They strengthened the party through defections. TRS threw all norms to the wind, encouraging defections and misusing official machinery. Hyderabad people will teach a lesson to the TRS and ensure a big win for BJP-TD combine. I seek blessings of the Hyderabad people,” he said.

Meanwhile, TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the party was geared up for GHMC polls. “We have convened an exclusive meeting on January 3 for the GHMC polls. We will accept applications from ticket aspirants from January 4 and launch door-to-door campaign from January 7,” he said.