The Congress has decided to adopt a wait-and-watch approach ahead of the April 23 Hyderabad local authorities constituency MLC election
Hyderabad:The Congress has decided to adopt a wait-and-watch approach ahead of the April 23 Hyderabad local authorities constituency MLC election. Having not fielded a candidate, the party has decided to assess the situation on polling day before deciding on whether to participate in the voting or abstain.
The Congress leadership has instructed its corporators and ex-officio members to remain on standby and be available on polling day.
The Congress refrained from fielding a candidate due to insufficient numbers. Only GHMC corporators from divisions falling under the Hyderabad and Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituencies, along with ex-officio members — comprising MLAs, MLCs, and MPs from the region — are eligible to vote.
Out of the 112 eligible voters, the AIMIM commands a strong presence with 50. The BRS and the BJP hold 24 each, while the Congress has 14. The BRS officially announced its decision to abstain and the the AIMIM’s victory seems a foregone conclusion.
The Congress leadership believes that even if the BRS and the BJP join hands, their combined strength of 48 will fall short of the AIMIM’s 50. Moreover, the party is wary of giving the BJP political ammunition to brand the Congress as 'anti-Hindu' by portraying a tacit alliance with the AIMIM.
The situation remains fluid. If BRS members defy their party line and turn up to support the BJP, the Congress may be forced to act. “In such a scenario, we will ensure our members participate to prevent a BJP victory,” party sources said.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Mohd Ali Shabbir, a senior Congress leader, said that both the party high command and state leadership would take a final call based on the developments on April 23.
TPCC senior vice president M.G. Vinod Reddy told this newspaper that the Congress was evaluating all possibilities. “Our goal is not to ensure anyone’s victory. It is to ensure BJP’s defeat,” he said.
The magic number to win this election if all voters participate and cast valid votes is 57. The AIMIM has a strength of 50 and if the situation demands, the Congress plans to help the AIMIM by ensuring those additional seven votes out of its strength of 14.
BJP MP Etala Rajender said the decision of the Congress and the BRS to abstain from poll was an undemocratic action.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Rajendar said the contest would be between the BJP, which believes in nationalist thinking, and a family which promotes fundamentalist forces.
“How can the BRS and Congress which deprived the voting right of people’s representatives from casting their votes in the Hyderabad MLC polls, seek the votes from the people in the future elections,” Rajendar asked.
Polling will be held from 8 am to 4 pm on April 23. Two polling booths have been set up in the GHMC head office building at Tank Bund Road. The counting of votes will take place on April 25 and the results will be announced on the same day.
Infograph: Parties strength
Party-Strength-(Ex officio+corporators)
BRS-24-(9+15)
BJP-24-(6+18)
Cong.-14(7+7)
AIMIM-50-(9+41)
Total-112 (31+81)
