Hyderabad, October 28: The Congress party seems to be playing a clever game with the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen on sharing the Mayor post of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.
As per the original understanding, the Congress will enjoy the Mayor post for three years and the MIM for two years. However, the Congress will relinquish the post after two years, so that the MIM would continue in the post for next two years and the final year term would once again go to the Congress.
As such, present Mayor Banda Karthika Reddy, who took over as Mayor in November 2009, would have to step down for the MIM candidate in the next few days. The MIM has already written to the Congress party seeking the transfer of post to its candidate. But she is said to be reluctant to relinquish the post and wants to continue for another one year.
Her political boss Danam Nagender said the Congress party would honour the commitment given to the MIM. “However, we have not yet decided whether to hand over the seat to the MIM this year or next year. If we give it up next year, the MIM can continue without any break,” he observed.
The Congress apparently fears that if the Mayor seat is given to the MIM now, it might not vacate the same after two years and create troubles for the ruling party. On the other hand, the MIM fears that if the Congress retains the seat for one more year, it (MIM) might not get its turn because anything may happen on the Telangana front in the next one year. That would seal the MIM chances.
—-Source:GA