HYDERABAD: Elections to Gretaer Hyderabad Municipal Corporation are proving to be a tough nut to crack. Even major parties and seasoned leaders had difficulty factoring in the reservation conundrum while keeping party loyalists in good humour.
The Majlis, whose diktat runs across the Old City, also faced anxious moments in finalising candidates. This is the reason why the party has not released the list of its candidates till date.
Ticket aspirants were kept on tenterhooks till the last moment on Sunday as the selection process dragged on. There were cases of B forms being issued to some candidates only to be withdrawn later under pressure.
The final tally of Majlis contestants has touched 60, though its president, Asaduddin Owaisi, hinted at contesting 70 to 75 seats. Most of the candidates filed their nominations on Sunday and their papers were found to be in order when scrutiny was taken up on Monday. In keeping with its practice, the party has not fielded any dummy candidates. “Therefore, we have to be extra cautious in finalising the names,’’ a Majlis legislator said.
For the first time perhaps, the Majlis is facing a lot of disgruntlement among party cadre as it could not accommodate senior workers. The two children norm is believed to have put a stop to the ambitions of many a former corporator looking for a second term. This apart the reservation of wards for women eliminated a good number of old timers.
There is a simmering discontent among the Arab community since the Barkas division is now reserved for BC women. Since Syeds, Moghals, Pathans and Arabs do not come under this category, the Arab community goes unrepresented in the Baldiya for the first time. In 2009 there were two Arab corporators - Mansoor Bin Mohd Awalqi from Barkas and Mohsin Bin Abdullah Balala from the Patharghatti division. But this time the latter missed the bus as he couldn’t fulfil the two-child norm, it is said.
The MBT, which is contesting 25 divisions, also faced an upset when it had to withdraw its official nominee for the Kanchanbagh division on Monday as the candidate was found to have more than two children. MBT president Dr Khayam Khan immediately issued the B form to the dummy candidate.
Meanwhile. former MBT corporator Amjed Ullah Khan filed his nomination from Akbarbagh since Azampura from where he won in 2009 is now reserved for BC women. His wife Asma Khatoon will now contest from this division.