HYDERABAD: The ruling Congress, which came to power recently by securing a simple majority, winning 156 seats in the Assembly elections, is taking the coming Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) polls as a matter of prestige. It is considering the exercise, to take place in the third week of August, as virtually a “mini general election’’.
Participating in an “election preparatory meeting’’ organised by the Pradesh Congress Committee at the Gandhi Bhavan today, both PCC chief D Srinivas and Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy reportedly urged the ministers, MLAs and party functionaries concerned to strive to bag 51 percent of the vote.
They called for a list of probables before July 18, but said selection would be made in accordance with survey reports. They also made it clear that there would be no alliances with other parties.
Candidates would be be finalised by July 22. It is learnt that the chief minister has insisted that party functionaries make at least 12 visits to each house in their respective areas before polling day and to ensure that no ``eligible’’ person was missed out in the list to be given to the PCC.
Of the 24 Assembly segments in the Greater Hyderabad limits, the Congress had won 14 and another seven went to the MIM with which the party has an understanding.
The party feels it would be a matter of grave concern if the party were to lose even one of the divisions in the Assembly areas under its sway.
At today’s meeting, Rajasekhara Reddy reportedly welcomed Qutbullahpur Independent MLA K Srisailam Goud who won the last elections as a Congress rebel, back into the party.
Both Ranga Reddy district Congress committee president KM Pratap and Srisailam Goud would work together for the GHMC polls, he said. And PCC chief Srinivas urged the party cadre to treat the GHMC polls as a `minigeneral elections’.
Minister for Municipal Administration A Ramanarayana Reddy informed the participants that there was scope to field Muslim candidates under the BC-E category in the constituencies reserved for Backward Classes (BCs).
Meanwhile at a press conference, the PCC president said the chief minister had directed ministers and others concerned not to leave the city till completion of the polls.
The PCC would order a survey with a professional private agency after the probables list was compiled, he added.
Asked about the party’s mayoral candidate, Srinivas said the party was in no hurry to discuss the issue. That could be taken up after the polls.
Senior leaders from the area concerned (Greater Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Medak) -- ministers P Sabitha Reddy, J Geeta Reddy, M Mukesh Goud, and D Nagender, MP Anjan Kumar Yadav, MLAs, MLCs, APCC district coordinators, APCC vice-presidents, general secretaries and other party functionaries participated in the meeting.