Rama Krishna Sangem
Union Coal Minister and Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy has readied the party cadre for the coming elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). For BJP winning GHMC is a matter of prestige as it aims to come to power in Telangana four years from now – in 2029 assembly elections. The party leadership has set a target of capturing Hyderabad city as a stepping stone for winning Telangana.
GHMC went to polls on December 1, 2020, and the next elections will be held late next year only. But, the BJP wants to take no chance and make all efforts to secure the coveted post of mayor. GHMC has a total 150 divisions and BJP four years back increased its tally from jsut four divisions to 48. The ruling TRS (later BRS) got 56. BRS’s friendly party, AIMIM won 44 and Congress got just 2 divisions.
By vote share, BRS and BJP got almost equal tally – 35.81 per cent and 35.56 per cent respectively. But, this time, BJP is keen on bagging the mayor post and a majority of divisions – above 76 – this time. The limits of GHMC will cover around 28 assembly seats. Moreover, winning GHMC will create a josh among the leaders and cadre that BJP is the party to come to power next in Telangana.
Kishan Reddy sets targets
Kishan Reddy held a meeting BJP leaders of nine districts units of the party on October 10, Thursday and set a target of enrolling at least 200 members from each polling booth. Kishan Reddy who was in charge of the just held Kashmir elections, told the leaders that the party must win all the earlier divisions and add at least another 30 to its kitty. “This is possible if you all work hard,” said he.
Kishan Reddy told the BJP leaders to work with the people who are living along River Musi and are affected by eviction moves of the Congress government. “Removal of encroachments without providing alternatives to the affected people along the Musi will be an issue for us. Similarly, removal of all houses in the name of beautification too will be our weapons,” he said.
