Hyderabad: Municipal divisions on the city outskirts will play a decisive role in the forthcoming GHMC elections. Since these divisions come under Ranga Reddy district limits, senior leaders from all parties representing the district face an acid test.
Of the 150 GHMC divisions going for polls, 48 are located on the city outskirts alone.
With the MIM politically dominating the divisions in core areas of the city, the other parties are left with the city outskirts to garner as many divisions as possible to offset their performance in the city. Of the 100 divisions in core areas of the city, MIM had bagged almost half, winning 48 divisions in the 2009 GHMC elections.
Major parties like the Congress, the TRS and the Telugu Desam-BJP combine are on a mission to bag a majority of the divisions on city outskirts as this will determine which party would bag the mayor's post. These parties have entrusted the responsibility of winning these divisions to their topmost leaders.
While TRS has assigned the task of ensuring victory in RR district to transport minister P. Mahender Reddy, the Congress has pitched in former home minister Sabitha Indra Reddy.
TRS has also roped in party’s Chevella Lok Sabha member Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, MLAs Teegala Krishna Reddy, Manchireddy Kishan Reddy, M. Sudheer Reddy, Kanaka Reddy, Kale Yadaiah, MLCs P. Narender Reddy, K. Yadava Reddy, Janardhan Reddy and other senior leaders.
Congress has pinned its hopes entirely on Ms Indra Reddy and former MLAs Sudheer Reddy, Bhikshapathy Yadav and Kuna Srisailam Goud.
The TD, which lost its RR district MLAs to the ruling TRS following their defections, has entrusted the responsibility to party Malkajgiri MP Ch. Malla Reddy, RR district TD president Prakash Goud and former minister T. Devender Goud’s son T. Veerender Goud.
“As per present political equations in GHMC polls, any party which secures a majority of the divisions on the city outskirts would easily bag the mayor's post.
Fresh from our recent MLC election win, we are aiming for a clean sweep in RR district,” said Mr Mahender Reddy.
However, Mr Malla Reddy said “settlers” who form a majority in all these divisions, are rallying behind the TD-BJP combine.
“Most of the voters hail from Seemandhra region and we believe they won’t vote for the TRS but opt for the TD-BJP combine. This will ensure victory for us in a majority of the divisions,” he said.
