The Telangana State Election Commission recently announced that the
elections for posts of the GHMC's Mayor and Deputy Mayor would be held on on February 11, a day after the end of the present body's term.
Following the announcement, the TRS government assured Deputy Mayor Baba Fasiuddin that he would be able to continue in his post. However, taking heed of the growing demand for a more inclusive and representative GHMC administration, it is likely that the government will push for the creation of another deputy mayoral post this year to accommodate a candidate from an underrepresented community.
Reports say that while the TRS may have already picked a candidate for the deputy mayor, very likely a woman from the Reddy community, it will choose another deputy mayor from the BC community.
The candidate most likely to be picked for the second post is Cherlapally corporator Bonthu Sridevi, wife of outgoing Mayor Bonthu Rammohan.
However, some conflicting reports also suggest that the TRS might even pick a candidate from the SC community for the post, to preempt any criticism that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar did not keep his promise of fielding an SC candidate.
Meanwhile, it is being reported that MIM head and MP Asaduddin Owaisi is likely to extend indirect support to the TRS, which does not have enough votes to clinch the post and will, in all likelihood, need to win the elections through technical means.
The MIM is then likely to abstain from voting in the elections as well.