SANGAREDDY: Though it has made a sweep of legislators in Medak district, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi had mixed fortunes when it came to Urban Local Bodies elections, held prior to the Assembly elections.
Now TRS is all set to change the political equations in the civic bodies also by coaxing elected members of other parties and independents so that it can have the persons of its choice heading the civic bodies in Medak districts.
With most of the MLAs, who are ex-officio members and having the crucial vote, required for deciding who will be the chairperson of the civic bodies, the pink party is putting every effort in manipulating the final outcome of the indirect elections for the municipal chairman.
Its message to the leaders of other parties is simple -- without active support of the state government, development of the municipalities is a very difficult task, hence it would be logical for the others to support the TRS leaders to head the top post in civic bodies. The decision is left to your wisdom.
Now that MIM is supporting TRS, all councillors belonging to the former, in all likelihood would support candidature of TRS. In Gajwel Nagar Panchayat, TDP has 10, TRS has 9 and Congress has 1 councillor.
Now with Congress councillor joining TRS ranks, it comes to 50:50 between TRS and Congress. With TRS chief KCR being Gajwel MLA, his vote as ex-officio member will be for his own party, which is to say, Gajwel Nagar Panchayat is in TRS kitty.
In case of Medak municipality, out of the 27 councillor seats, TRS has 11, Congress-6, TDP-5, BJP-2, MIM-1, Independents-2. For a TRS candidate to become the chairman, the support of 14 councillors is needed.
If Medak TRS MLA Padma Devender Reddy in ex-officio member position is taken into consideration, TRS strength stands at 12. It could win, if either independents and any of the Congress or TDP counsellor supports.
But, going by past history of Medak municipality, it may or may not work out. In previous elections, though TRS and Congress had contested the elections together, it was TRS and TDP, who elected the chairman together.