Game of numbers to intensify today

Hyderabad: Witha hung situation in as many as 36 urban local bodies (ULBs) post civic elections in the State, the game of numbers will only intensify on Monday as the indirect elections of chairperson/deputy chairpersons and mayors/deputy mayors of the ULBs are set to take place amidst reports of camp politics and poaching.

The State Election Commission will oversee the conduct of indirect elections of chairpersons/deputy chairpersons and mayors/deputy mayors. The votes of ex officio members, especially the Rajya Sabha members and Legislative Council members, are going to be crucial as public representatives of various political parties have registered their votes as per the requirements. The last date for registering the votes was February 14.

As per the State Election Commission, there is hung situation in 36 urban local bodies in the state. According to reports coming in from the districts, the winning candidates of various political parties are being approached for clinching the mayor post. In Bellampally Municipality, there have been reports of Bharat Rashtra Samithi taking away a councillor of the Congress party.

However, the ruling party is focused on taking the support of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) to take over the municipality. In the Aliyabad Municipality in Rangareddy district, the BRS and Congress were trying their best to win the municipality. Out of 20 wards, the BRS has won eight and the Congress seven; the Bharatiya Janata Party won three wards and independents won in three wards. The independents have already pledged their support to the Congress and it needs one more vote. The ruling party is confident of winning it with an exofficio vote.

Should the BRS and BJP form an alliance, they can win many municipalities, including the Karimnagar Corporation. However, it will be interesting to see whether these parties come together. In the Ellampet Municipality, out of the 24 wards, the BRS has won 12 and the Congress eight. The three votes of BJP have become crucial in this municipality. MLA Malla Reddy has registered his vote here. In the Amangal Municipality, which has 15 wards, the BRS has won eight and needs one more. The BJP has won six seats here and there is a possibility of an understanding.

In the Karimnagar Municipal Corporation, the BJP has emerged as the single largest party bagging 30 out of 66 divisions. The Congress has won 14 and the BRS nine seats. The Forward Block has won two and AIMIM three. The three ex officio votes are those of MP Bandi Sanjay, MLAs G Kamalakar and Satyanarayana. It will be interesting to see the approach of political parties. There were reports that the Congress, BRS and MIM may come together to keep BJP away from the Corporation.