KCR to go in for combined civic polls

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has reportedly decided to hold elections to all municipalities and municipal corporations at one go. Mr Rao has dropped his earlier idea of holding municipal elections in two phases. Most probably, the elections will be held in the new year.

There are cases in court concerning more than 70 municipalities, and conducting elections there is not possible unless the court gives its verdict. Mr Rao had toyed with the idea of keeping these municipalities aside and conducting elections to the others in the first phase, and then holding elections in the second phase for the others once the court decides.

But leaders close to Mr Rao have advised him that it is better to hold elections for all municipalities and municipal corporations that are due at one time.

In the opinion of Telangana Rashtra Samiti leaders if in the first phase opposition parties win in some municipalities, it will have an effect on the second phase of the elections and influence voters. As with the zilla parishad elections, where the TRS got all 32 zilla parishad chairpersons’ posts, in the municipal elections, too, the TRS wants to make a clean sweep. There are about 130 municipalities and 13 municipal corporations in the state.

■ IN THE opinion of TRS leaders if in the first phase opposition parties win in some municipalities, it will have an effect on the second phase of the elections and influence voters.