Congress, BJP join hands in no-trust motion against BRS in Nalgonda

The episode, which exposed the understanding between the Congress and the BJP in the Nalgonda Municipal council, saw 47 of the total 48 councilors attending the council meeting

Nalgonda: In a dramatic turn to the stand-off in the Nalgonda Municipal Council, a no-confidence motion against municipal chairman M Saidi Reddy of BRS was passed on Monday with the support of the BJP and two dissident BRS councillors, giving the Congress an upper hand in the body.

The episode, which exposed the understanding between the Congress and the BJP in the council, saw 47 of the total 48 councilors attending the council meeting on Monday. One independent councilor and two ex-officio members did not turn up.

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Five BJP councilors and two BRS councilors voted in support of the no-trust motion, with the Congress gaining strength in the council and now standing a chance to get its councilor in the chairperson’s seat.

In the 2019 municipal council elections, the Congress and BRS won each 20 wards, while six were won by the BJP and the MIM got one. The remaining seat went to an independent.

Three months ago, 13 BRS councilors and one BJP councilor joined the Congress, which paved way for the no trust motion against municipal chairman Saidi Reddy. With this , the strength of the Congress increased to 34 councilors, allowing the Congress to move the no trust motion. With the five BJP and two dissident BRS councilors also voting in support of the motion movied by the Congress, only five BRS councilors voted against the no-trust motion.

In-charge district Collector Hemanth Patil, who conducted the voting at the council meeting, said the result of the no trust motion would be sent to the State Election Commission and Municipal Administration department higher officials. Until the election of a new chairman, vice chairman Abbagoni Ramesh would be the temporary chairman, he added.

Later in the day, there were several posts on social media from BJP supporters, who said their party had taken revenge against the BRS by voting in support of the no trust motion against Saidi Reddy. According to the posts, the BRS had taken the support of six BJP councilors to get Saidi Reddy elected as the municipal chairman in 2019. However, the vice chairman post was not given to the BJP, and now, the saffron party had taken revenge by siding with the Congress.