Hyderabad: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) here alleged that the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Mayor Gadwal Vijaylakshmi and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) commissioner Lokesh Kumar are limiting voices of BJP corporators in the municipal corporation’s budget discussions.
The saffron party leaders claimed that the TRS is limiting discussions by conducting online meetings, in spite of the lockdown been lifted. “The GHMC led by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), has given the pandemic as a reason to not hold physical meetings. But there is no reason for the standing committee meeting to be held virtually now,” said ex-MLA and BJP vice-president Chintala Ramakrishna Reddy.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, he said that the state government is “fearful” of the BJP, and isn’t willing to have an open or free-flowing discussion. As an example, he made a case for the plight of people staying in L.B.Nagar, and said that the TRS party is failing the businessmen living in the area by increasing their trade licenses.
“Without complete transparency, the budget is prone to mismanagement and will end by favoring only selective corporators and zones and not make room for equal opportunity,” said BJP ex-MLA NVSS Prabhakar, who also addressed the press conference.
Ramakrishna Reddy added that if Assembly meetings are held physically, there is no reason for GHMC’s council meeting to be organized in a virtual capacity. “While we will not boycott it, we condemn this move by the corporation,” he added.
The BJP leaders also raised concerns with regards to the wards of Saroornagar, Nagole, and Ramakrishnapuram which they said may not get the required money and attention they deserve, . The council meeting for GHMC is scheduled to be held virtually tomorrow.
No hike in trade license : GHMC official
To corroborate BJP leader Ramakrishna Reddy’s claim that the GHMC had hiked trade license in LB Nagar, a senior official from the GHMA however said that no such thing has taken place. “Why will we hike the trade license fee?” he simply said, and shrugged.