Civic chief posts for sale: Going price `3-4 crore!

Hyderabad: Reflecting a new low in the decline of democracy at the grassroots level, well ahead of the elections to urban local bodies in the state, municipal chairman posts seem to be up for sale, with the going price being Rs 3-4 crore due to the high stakes involved.

That is not all. Pricey deals are being struck on the basis of whether the aspirant is willing to bear the election expenditure and whether he or she wants to complete the full term of five years or is fine with rotational arrangement giving him or her 2.5 years to hold the post.

The chairman post aspirants are reportedly offering huge money to the ruling party Congress MLAs and party in-charges in the Assembly constituencies. Besides, the aspirants are expressing their readiness to bear the expenditure involved in the elections.

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi leadership has also received such proposals from its prospective candidates who aspire to be the chairman of the executive bodies.

For the record, the elections for the 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations are scheduled to be held on February 11. 

With the last date to file nomination papers being Friday, Congress in-charges and MLAs were flooded with requests on the last day to “announce” the names of those earmarked for chairman posts from among the rich candidates.

“The aspirants, in lieu of being named as chairman material, are offering at least Rs 3 crore as ‘party donation’ and expressing their willingness to spend money for the victory of the party candidates even in other wards in the election-bound municipality”, leaders said. However, the party is assuring them that the names of chairman would be declared only after the last date for the withdrawal of the nominations - February 3.

In view of the stiff competition for chairman posts in many municipalities as well as in municipal corporations, leaders said that the state party leadership has warned aspirants against intensifying group politics, saying it will lead to negative results for the party at a crucial juncture.

All told, ministers, senior leaders and MLAs are holding a series of meetings with the chairman aspirants to arrive at an agreement on who would assume the plum post and for how long. For, leaders in old Nalgonda, Khammam, Warangal, Karimangar, and Medak districts are giving assurances to the aspirants that the post will be given to two elected members for 2 .5 years each during the five-year term. “In some cases, the rich candidates are offering money to the rival aspirants to get the post for a full term. However, MLAs and party in-charges are not ready to give any concrete assurance until the results are out”.

The BRS leadership has instructed the party in-charges and MLAs to declare the names of chairman material only after seeking the opinions of all candidates contesting in the elections. “In view of the tough competition from the Congress, the BRS, for holding out chairman posts, is giving preference to those who are ready to take care of the huge poll expenditure in the elections,” leaders said.