Trust issues rock Telangana’s municipal corporations
The situation has seen Cabinet Ministers and Congress MLAs orchestrating the operations, with reports of cash ranging from Rs.3 lakh and above being offered to councilors to switch loyalties.
Hyderabad: Ever since the change of regime in the State, municipal corporations across Telangana are in turmoil with the ruling Congress attempting to usurp power by hook or by crook. In some places, the BJP too is trying its best to capture power, while in most places, the BRS is fighting to ward off these attempts.
The situation has seen Cabinet Ministers and Congress MLAs orchestrating the operations, with reports of cash ranging from Rs.3 lakh and above being offered to councilors to switch loyalties. The operations have also seen the Congress and the BJP, at loggerheads outside, joining hands to topple the BRS, as happened in Nalgonda and Mancherial.
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A series of no-confidence motions have also been moved in districts such as Warangal, Mahbubnagar, Nizamabad and Karimnagar. In erstwhile Mahbubnagar district alone, no confidence motions were moved in municipalities like Jadcherla, Nagarkurnool, Mahabubnagar and Kalwakurthy.
Nizamabad
In Nizamabad, the BJP is reportedly orchestrating a no-confidence motion against the incumbent BRS mayor of Nizamabad Municipal Corporation (NMC) D Neetu Kiran to wrest control of the corporation from the BRS-AIMIM coalition.
According to sources, the BJP is likely to move no confidence motion before the second week of February. Despite securing third place in the 2020 corporation elections, the BRS, backed by the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and ex-officio members, retains its grip on the coveted Nizamabad Municipal Corporation. The 60-seat civic body has 28 BJP corporators, 16 from AIMIM, 13 from BRS, two from Congress and one independent corporator.
Nalgonda
In erstwhile Nalgonda, the Congress is attempting to bring down BRS chairpersons in 13 municipalities. No-confidence motions have been successfully moved in Nalgonda and Nereducherla. In Nalgonda, Congress and BJP joined hands to see the no-confidence motion win against Nalgonda municipal chairman M Saidi Reddy while the Congress also managed to pass a no-confidence motion against Nereducherla municipal chairman Jayababu.
In Bhongir, Congress councilors have submitted a letter to the District Collector for no-confidence motion. Here, out of 34 municipal councilors, 15 are BRS, 11 of Congress and seven of BJP while two are independents. The BJP councilors also signed in the letter supporting the no-confidence motion. The council is yet to meet to take up the motion.
Congress councilors in Alair and Mothkur have also submitted letters requesting no-confidence motions against their chairpersons. Out of total 12 municipal councilors in Alair municipality, BRS has nine but is still facing a tough situation with the Congress playing shady games.
In Suryapet, the no-confidence motion moved against municipal chairperson Perumalla Annapurna took a dramatic turn as no councilor attended the meeting, with the District Collector later declaring that the no-confidence motion was not passed and that the Annapurna would continue in the post. This was after 32 out of 48 councilors signing letters supporting the no-confidence motion.
Medak
In erstwhile Medak, since the Congress came to power in the State, no-confidence motion notices were served in Narayankhed, Cheriyal, Sadasivapet and Narsapur Municipalities. While independent councillors moved a no-confidence motion in Cheriyal and lost it, in Narsapur, BRS councillors moved the no-confidence motion against chairman Murali Yadav, who contested from the BRS and became chairman. Since Yadav joined the BJP and contested in the Assembly elections, the BRS councillors moved the confidence motion. Yadav resigned before voting was held.
Councillors in Sadasivapet and Narayankhed Municipalities have the served no-confidence motion notices against the existing BRS chairpersons in both municipalities.
Khammam
In Yellandu, out of 24 municipal councillors, 19 BRS councillors served a notice to district Collector on January 11 seeking the trust vote against municipal chairman Dammalapati Venkateshwar Rao, who joined the Congress during the Assembly elections along with three councillors.
Following the no confidence motion moved against Yellandu municipal chairman by the councillors, Collector Dr. Priyanka Ala issued a notice to convene a special meeting for a floor test on February 5.
In Kothagudem, out of the 36 councillors, 22 municipal councillors of Kothagudem municipality moved a no confidence motion against municipal chairperson Kapu Seethalakshmi. They served a notice to the district Collector Dr. Priyanka Ala on January 23. The date for the floor test is yet to be decided.
Karimnagar
The no-confidence motion moved against Jammikunta municipal chairman T Rajeshwar Rao failed due to lack of quorum. In Jagtial, councilors moved a no-confidence motion against in-charge chairman Goli Srinivas. Councilors of Sultanabad municipality have also moved a no-trust motion against the chairperson. Officials have decided to conduct voting on February 3.
Mancherial
Twenty-seven councilors, including 26 of the Congress and one from the BJP, out of the total 36 councilors in Mancherial municipal council got a no-confidence motion passed against the existing council of Mancherial municipality led by chairman P Rajaiah and vice-chairman G Mukesh Goud of the BRS.
The trend is likely to continue, since the councils have their tenures till next year.
