Smart moves, rebels help TRS save the day

Nalgonda: The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi which was resolute on winning the municipal polls by hook or crook was able to net 17 of the 18 municipalities in the erstwhile Nalgonda, thanks to the smart moves it made. Though there was not absolute majority, the pink party with the help of rebels, opposition parties and its smart strategies was able to win the municipal chief posts in Nalgonda, Nereducherla, Choutuppal, Yadagirigutta and Aler municipalities.

In 15 wards of Nereducherla municipality, the Congress and its alliance partner, CPM, secured eight wards and the TRS seven. On behalf of Congress, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Rajya Sabha member KVP Ramachandra Rao registered their names as ex-officio members and on behalf of TRS, Rajya Sabha member Badugula Lingaiah Yadav, MLC Venkateshwarlu and Huzurnagar MLA Saidi Reddy registered their names as ex-officio members. On the day of election for chairperson and vice-chairperson posts on January 27, the TRS leaders raised objection to eligibility of KVP Ramachandra Rao as ex-officio member. However, he was allowed to vote after the directions from State Election Commission and with that the strength of both TRS and Congress reached 10 each.

However, the election of municipal chiefs was postponed to January 28 as the councillors of both parties raised slogans against each other soon after the commencement of election process. Surprisingly on January 28, the TRS strength raised to 11 with the inclusion of vote of MLC Sheri Subhash Reddy. With this, Uttam Kumar Reddy raised objection over Subhash Reddy's entry in voter list on the election day and described it as a violation of election norms and along with KVP, Uttam boycotted the election.

Meanwhile, the officials concerned continued the election process and TRS councillors with 4 ex-officio votes hoisted pink flag on Nereducherla municipality. As many as 1,200 police personnel were deputed at Nereducherla during the election to municipal chief posts. Further, the police also arrested Uttam and KVP for staging a protest on the day.

Meanwhile, Suryapet District Collector Amoy Kumar became a scapegoat in this political game between the TRS and the Congress and was transferred for failing to handle the situation. On January 28, the election of Nereducherla municipal chiefs was done during the supervision of In-Charge Collector Anita Ramachandran.

Similarly, a war type situation was seen during the election of chairperson and vice–chairperson for Choutuppal municipality on January 27 when the councilors of Congress alliance partner CPM shifted their loyalties to TRS. Shocked congress MLA and ex-officio member Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy and five Congress councillors questioned CPM councillors for extending support to the pink party and in a fit of rage, they tore the oath-taking forms during the elections.

However, election for municipal chiefs carried out by officials in the name of sufficient quorum after Congress, BJP and independents boycotted the election after police took Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy into custody. Here, TRS gifted the vice-chairperson post to CPM for their help in securing the chairperson post of Choutuppal municipality.

Likewise, in 48 wards of Nalgonda municipality, in neck and neck fight between the Congress and the TRS, both won 20 wards each, BJP six, AIMIM and TRS rebel won in each ward. TRS secured the chairperson post with the help of TRS rebel, MIM councillor and votes of five ex-officio members i.e., Legislative Council chairman Gutha Sukender Reddy, deputy chairman Nethi Vidya Sagar, MLCs Palla Rajeshwar Reddy and Tera Chinapa Reddy and local MLA Bhupal Reddy.

In Yadagirigutta, the TRS grabbed the chairperson and vice-chairperson posts by adding MLC Kadiam Srihari name in the voters list on election day similar to Nereducherla municipality, along with the votes of ex-officio members MLC Krane Prabhakar and MLA Gongidi Sunitha. With this the TRS reached the magic figure of 12 and hoisted its flag on Yadagirigutta municipality.

In Aler and Halia municipalities, taking the advantage of one seat short of magic figure independents Katamaraju and Sudhakar respectively joined the TRS and helped the TRS securing the coveted chairperson posts and in return got the vice-chairperson posts for themselves.

It may be noted that CPM, which supported Congress in Nereducherla, opposed the Congress and went along with TRS in Choutuppal municipality and its ex-officio member MLC Narsi Reddy was absent on the day of elections. Similarly, the BJP which boycotted election with Congress during the election of chairman and vice-chairman posts to Choutuppal municipality kept mum during the election in Nalgonda to favor TRS.

Congress which criticized TRS over grabbing chairman and vice-chairman posts of municipality registered AP native Rajya Sabha member KVP Ramachandra Rao as party's ex-officio member for Nereducherla municipality to win the race. Apart from on its own strength, the ruling TRS by using all possibilities including open support from CPM, MIM, TRS rebels and independents hoisted its flag in 17 of 18 municipalities in erstwhile Nalgonda district.