GHMC Plans to Allot Rs 2 Crore Budget to Each Corporator

 Hyderabad: The GHMC Council on Tuesday proposed allocating a budget of Rs 2 crore to each corporator amid heated arguments, multiple adjournments, marshals stepping in to control members, and a sharp face-off between the BJP and AIMIM members triggered by a demand to sing Vande Mataram inside the Council. The meeting also saw unusual moments of shayari even as civic issues were taken up for discussion.

Tensions began when the council decided to pay tribute to the late poet Ande Sri by singing ‘Jaya Jaya He Telangana’, the state anthem. BJP members, including MP Raghunandan Rao, insisted that the session should begin with the Vande Mataram.

BJP Malkajgiri corporator Sravan Vurapalli asserted, “Ee desham lo undalante Vande Mataram paadalsinde” (If one wants to live in this country, they must sing Vande Mataram), prompting strong objections from AIMIM members.

The confrontation escalated to a point where it appeared BJP and AIMIM corporators might come to blows. Congress corporators stepped in as peacemakers, and marshals intervened to restore order. Several corporators even stood on the benches while arguing — an uncommon sight inside the Council.

When the ‘Vande Mataram’ was eventually played, BJP members again objected, alleging that some AIMIM corporators remained seated. The Mayor intervened, the National Song concluded, and ‘Jaya Jaya He Telangana’ was played.

Fresh tension erupted when the Mayor refused speaking time to BRS LB Nagar MLA Devi Reddy Sudheer Reddy, who attempted to raise objections to the state government’s ongoing land auctions. A verbal clash broke out between Congress and BRS members.

When the Mayor reminded the MLA that corporators should speak and that MLAs already have a forum in the Assembly, BRS corporators marched towards the Mayor’s podium.

Congress members responded by forming a protective circle. Congress corporators Daripally Raja Shekhar Reddy (Lingojiguda) and Baba Fasiuddin (Borabanda) strongly objected to the behaviour of the BRS members.

The situation escalated once again when a BRS corporator pointed a finger at the Mayor’s chair. This led to another round of slogan-shouting between BRS and Congress members.

When BRS corporators raised slogans against Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Congress members retaliated by shouting slogans naming BRS president K. Chandrashekar Rao and working president K.T. Rama Rao.

The session continued till 1.30 pm with ex-officio members speaking, followed by a lunch break. The post-lunch session was relatively calm, with an AIMIM corporator resorting to shayari and members across all parties raising concerns over sanitation. Some demanded more sweepers, while others called for improvements in door-to-door garbage collection.

- Unlike earlier meetings, many ex-officio members, including MLAs and MLCs, attended Tuesday’s GHMC Council session. Jubilee Hills MLA-elect Naveen Yadav was present. He expressed condolences for the death of his predecessor, Maganti Gopinath, and poet Ande Sri and stated that he would work for the city’s development along with other members of the Council. Congress MP Anil Kumar Yadav, Congress MLC Addanki Dayakar, AIMIM Charminar MLA Mir Zulfeqar Ali, and BRS MLAs Talasani Srinivas Yadav and Marri Rajashekar Reddy were among those who attended the meeting.

- BJP corporators staged an unusual protest by bringing a buffalo to the GHMC head office premises. BJP Malkajgiri corporator Sravan Vurapalli and Saroornagar corporator Akula Srivani arrived with the buffalo while wearing police handcuffs, stating that the demonstration was symbolic. “As rain does not affect buffalo, our repeated complaints in our division also go unheard. This is our symbolic protest,” Sravan Vurapalli said. Akula Srivani added that the handcuffs represented police enforcement.

- Congress Borabanda corporator Baba Fasiuddin claimed he faced a threat to his life, and said he had lodged a complaint with the police. He said an unidentified person had dropped a letter at his home informing him that he had a life threat. “I don’t know who that person is, I don’t even know if the person is my well-wisher or a BRS worker who threatened me,” he said.