Civic chiefs to be elected on Friday; aspirants lobby hard

The Telangana State Election Commission (TSEC) on Wednesday issued notification for election of Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Chairman and vicechairman posts in two corporations and five municipalities on Friday. These urban local bodies (ULBs) went to the polls on April 30 and the results were declared on May 3.

With this, hectic lobbying has begun in the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) with multiple aspirants staking claims and running around ministers and party leaders who enjoy considerable clout at the top leadership. Since the TRS made a clean sweep in the municipal election results announced on May 3, all these posts will go to the TRS.

TRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Wednesday appointed party observers for the election of heads for these ULBs.

Sources in the TRS said consequently to the latest political developments in the state following the sacking of health minister Etala Rajendar from the Cabinet recently, the name of Indla Nageshwar Rao, who hails from Backward Classes and won from 45th division, is doing the rounds for Warangal Mayor post.

Gundu Sudha Rani was considered as the only frontrunner for this post all these days, but BC leaders in Warangal district are lobbying hard to get the Mayor post for Nageshwar Rao to pacify the community to some extent over the unceremonious removal of Rajendar

For the Khammam Mayor post, which is reserved for woman in the general category, the TRS leadership has left the choice in picking up the candidate to district incharge minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar. Paidipalli Rohini from 56th division is said to be his choice. Other names include P. Neeraja and C. Madhuri. For Deputy Mayor, Maqbool is said to be in the race under the minority quota.

In Atchampet municipality, the competition is between Narasimha Goud and Shailaja for municipal chairperson post, while Manohar Prasad, who won from 15th division is in the race for the vice chairman post.

In Nakrekal municipality, sources said, the TRS leaders had already shifted 11 TRS corporators to a resort on the city outskirts to prevent poaching by the Congress. TRS Nakrekal MLA Chirumarthi Lingaiah, who defected from the Congress to the TRS, has been lobbying hard to secure the chairperson post to his follower Rachakonda Srinu.TRS MLA Gyadari Kishore is said to be lobbying for vice-chairman post to his follower Uma Rani.

In Siddipet municipality, the chairperson post is reserved for woman under general category. Kadavergu Rajanarsu, who served as chairperson until recent elections fielded his wife Kadavergu Manjula Rajanarsu. He is insisting on his wife to be made chairperson this time to his family as he had already served as chairperson for two terms. For the vicechairman post, party town president Kondam Sampath Reddy is in the race. Medak incharge minister T. Harish Rao’'s decision to be the key in selection for these posts, say TRS sources.

In Jadcherla ,unicipality, Dorepalli Laxmi Ravinder is said to be the frontrunner. Her husband Ravinder is known to be the close aide of former minister and Jadcherla MLA C. Laxma Reddy.