SCB polls ‘semi-final’ to GHMC elections

HYDERABAD: Though Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) polls must be held on a non-party basis, all political parties TDP, BJP, TRS, Congress and MIM are pushing for their nominees to be elected. Political parties are reportedly treating the SCB elections as a ‘semi-final’ for the ensuing Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) polls.
In the Secunderabad Cantonment, wards I, II, V and VI are in the general category, while wards III, IV and VII are reserved for women, and ward VIII is reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) representation.
As per the schedule, the elections for these eight civilian wards would be held on January 11, 2015. The SCB head office must receive nominations by December 11 or 12.
Malkajgiri Lok Sabha MP Ch Malla Reddy and Secunderabad Cantonment MLA G Sayanna (both from TDP) have reportedly started the process of selecting candidates in all eight wards. According to sources, the Malkajgiri MP recently met Telangana BJP leaders and they decided to field candidates in wards II, IV, V and VI.
Secunderabad legislator and excise minister T Padma Rao, reportedly, has contacts with former ward members is said to have started short-listing candidates for the SCB polls. Recently, TRS got a shot in the arm with two former ward members - J Pratap and Venkat Rao joining the pink party, which hopes to make its debut in the SCB polls.
On the other hand, Congress GHMC general secretary D B Devender has taken up the responsibility for the selection of candidates. “I met Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Ponnala Lakshmaiah and former deputy chief minister Damodar Rajanarsimha, a few days ago, and discussed the probable candidates. They want the Congress to win at least five wards and retain the vice-president post. We have candidates in all wards and soon the nominees will be finalised,” Devender told TOI.
The MIM has also, reportedly, started making its moves and wants to test waters by fielding candidates in some reserved wards.