Hyderabad: The outcome of this election will actually lay bare the ratings of people on the handling of the present COVID-19 crisis as the corporators are the real warriors at the grass root level.
Yet again the master of surprises is back with a new startling announcement. This time he has announced the GHMC elections. Like the last time in 2018 when the assembly elections were pre-poned by 6 months, now the GHMC polls are to be conducted 2 months before the actual term ends. The term of the GHMC Council ends on February 10, 2020.
Since September this year, rumors of election date were making rounds and, in one of his meetings, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao also hinted that he can come out with the announcement any day after November 14. Keeping the promise, the schedule for polling for 150 GHMC divisions was released by the State Election Commission on November 17. Immediately, the Model Code of Conduct came into effect. The filing of nominations started from November 18 and the Returning Officers started receiving nominations at their respective offices.
The last date for filing nominations is November 20 and these will be scrutinized on November 21. Candidates who wish to withdraw their nominations can do so before 3-00 pm on November 22, after which the final list of candidates will be published on the same day. The polling will be held on December 1 and the results will be announced on December 4. Also, if there is any re-polling, then it is going to be on December 3.
The reservations of wards followed in 2016 have been continued this time too after the GHMC Act was amended in this regard. The security deposit continues to be Rs 5,000 for candidates from the general category and Rs 2,500 for candidates from the Scheduled Castes and Tribes and Backward Class communities.
Now coming to the parties, the main contenders in the fray are the ruling TRS, AIMIM, BJP and the Congress. TRS, BJP and Congress are contesting all the 150 divisions while AIMIM is contesting 60 divisions, all located in minority-dominated areas. The full candidature lists are yet to be announced by the parties. To conduct peaceful polling amid the second wave of Covid-19, the State Election Commission has also released the standard operating procedure for campaigning, voting and counting of votes.
Whenever elections are held, the mantra that KCR follows is something to ponder about. As the opposition parties were still preparing for the poll, the schedule was announced at a short notice to give little time to these parties. The back-to-back poll victories of TRS in local bodies since 2019 have convinced KCR to advance the GHMC polls.
Like the last time in 2016, the candidates are supposed to spend not more than Rs 5 lakh towards election expenditure, including campaigning costs. The expenditure details must be filed with the SEC within 45 days after the declaration of results. Failure to do so can result in disqualification of the candidate for three years. However, as usual, this won’t be the case and the actual expenditure will be many more lakhs of rupees to lure voters.
Smaller parties are also joining the poll fray. Interestingly, Pawan Kalyan’s Janasena Party, which was dormant for many years, is all set to contest in GHMC elections. The party has started collecting applications from the interested persons even as Pawan Kalyan is seeking to tie-up with the BJP.
Winning prospects
TRS is hopeful of retaining power in GHMC. The AIMIM is going to contest the seats held by it and making efforts to deal with any anti-incumbency. The Congress has good hopes about its prospects. The BJP is making an aggressive bid to sweep the GHMC polls to install its mayor and deputy mayor for the first time.
“The ticket allotment will be in such a fashion that 40 percent would go to candidates who are already in the party and the rest would be accommodated to the defecting candidates from the other parties. We are roping in leaders mostly from TRS and Congress,” a BJP spokesman said.
Congress and BJP are fielding new faces. However, TRS and AIMIM are also giving chances to new faces along with the re-nomination of sitting corporators depending on their performance. All parties are fielding more women candidates than the last time.
Will it be a repeat of 2016 outcome?
In 2016, the ruling TRS swept the GHMC elections with a record 99 seats and its friendly party, AIMIM, came second with 44. The BJP managed to get only 4 seats, the Congress got 2 seats and the TDP won a lone seat. And, with this clear majority, the TRS was able to give Mayoral post to Bonthu Ram Mohan and deputy mayor post to Baba Fasiuddin. At that time, the BJP and TDP fought the elections in alliance.
What a clear win means now?
KCR has exuded confidence that TRS is quite strong and would win 100 seats this time. If it repeats its earlier performance in GHMC, it can again get the mayor and deeply mayor posts. With the GHMC, with 24 Assembly seats, in its kitty, TRS can ensure a clean sweep in the next assembly elections in 2023. There will again be one- party rule all over the State, with all local bodies under TRS. The GHMC will get funds easily as the State government will not hesitate to release grants for development works for its own party members.
Moving forward, AIMIM’s win in its strongholds will make it retain its grip in the City. The party may continue to support TRS in the GHMC and simultaneously expand its base in the long run. Although there is hardly any base left for the Congress in the State capital, it is likely to pick up a handful of seats. If it happens, it can revive its party base here. The obstinate BJP is likely to go to double digit by winning 10 or 20 more seats and it will be a big jump from its previous tally of 4 seats. This will help the party to prepare for the next assembly elections.
Fatima Hasan is a Hyderabad based journalist