The Congress and Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen combine maintained its control for the third consecutive term over the Standing Committee of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.
While eight corporators of the Congress party got elected, all seven nominees of the MIM were elected as the members of the Standing Committee for which elections were held on Thursday. The new elected members of the Standing Committee are M Narasimha Yadav, Ale Jeethendra, P Gnaneshwar Goud, Nemali Suresh, Mamidi Laxmi Bai, GM Ratna Kumari, Shaik Shakeel Mahmood, B Chandramma, Md Ayub Khan, Najma Sultana, Mohd Mumtaz Ali, Aziz Baig, Md Ghouse Pasha, Sunnam Srilatha and Mohd Murtuza Ali.
Of 150 corporators, 10 abstained from the voting due to different reasons. They include four corporators from the BJP, three from MIM, two from the Congress party and one from the TDP. With the combined strength of 94 corporators, the Congress-MIM combine ensured that they continue their dominance over the Standing Committee.
However, the numbers secured by the winning candidates clearly proves that several TDP corporators voted for the Congress candidates. For instance, Narsimha Reddy secured the highest votes of 123 votes followed by Ale Jeethendra (118), Gnaeshwar Goud (117) and Nemali Suresh (117). However, some Congress or MIM members have also voted for the TDP candidates. Although 44 TDP corporators took part in the election, TDP candidates G Rajamouli got 58 votes while ES Raj Jitender Nath secured 50 votes. Congress candidate J Satyanarayana got the lowest of just six votes.
The voting took place from 10 am to 3 pm and the counting of votes was completed by 5 pm. Announcing the results, GHMC Commissioner MT Krishna Babu told the media persons that two votes were rejected for technical reasons and 10 corporators abstained from the voting. The term of new members will be one year and the GHMC Mayor will be the Chairman of the Standing Committee.
Congress MLC MS Prabhakar said that action would be taken against the corporator Hari Vardhan Reddy and Co-option member N Sridhar for acting against the official candidates. He said a complaint has been lodged by Greater Hyderabad Congress president and Labour Minister Danam Nagender and also with PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana. He expressed satisfaction over the results.
TDP floor leader Singireddy Srinivas Reddy said that although no TDP corporator could be elected as the member of the Standing Committee, the party would maintain pressure to ensure that the corporation takes up developmental works in all the areas in its limits.
MIM MLA Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri, GHMC Mayor Mohammad Majid Hussain and Deputy Mayor G Rajkumar congratulated the newly elected members.
–Agencies