Talasani To Lead TRS Campaign For GHMC Polls

Newly inducted minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav is on a new mission to bring the Telangana Rashtra Samithi to power in the next elections of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

According to sources, Talasani has been directed by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to focus his attention on winning the next GHMC polls.

In order to achieve the goal, Talasani has begun wooing ex-corporators of the GHMC belonging to different Parties.

So far, Talasani has spoken to at least 17 ex-corporators of the Telugu Desam Party and the Congress. Promising of re-nominations as candidates from divisions of their choice, the minister has reportedly asked them to join the TRS.

The former corporators who were reportedly consulted by Talasani include N Seshakumar, K Sadashiva Yadav, G Rajamouli and Neelam Rajender of the TDP, and Avula Satyanarayana, C Sunitha and B Raju Yadav of the Congress Party.

However, it is not yet known whether those ex-corporators have given their consent to joining the TRS.

Talasani was elected on a TDP ticket from the Sanathnagar Assembly constituency in the 2014 general elections. However, he resigned from his seat an hour before taking oath as a Cabinet minister in KCR's regime. And since he now has to face a by-election in the next few months, Talasani has intensified his efforts to strengthen the TRS in the city.

According to sources, the TRS aims to win at least 100 seats in the next GHMC elections. With the GHMC planning to create about 172 divisions in its limits, the TRS needs to win at least 82 seats to have its own mayor and deputy mayor.

Sources further said that the TRS is not keen on having any pre-poll alliance with the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM). TRS leaders believe that despite having seven legislators in the city, the MIM's influence in the GHMC limits is not widespread, and is confined to a maximum of 60 divisions. Therefore, the TRS wants to focus on the remaining 110 seats.

The TRS hopes to gain from the division of votes between the TDP-BJP combine, Congress, YSRCP, Lok Satta and other independent candidates.

Talasani has reportedly told the ex-corporators that funds would not be a constraint in the development of Hyderabad if the TRS won the GHMC polls.

According to sources, a few prominent leaders of others political Parties may join the TRS in the third week of January.

There are indications that the GHMC polls may be conducted in May of next year after the GHMC completes the delimitation and reservation processes. (INN)