TRS wins Greater Hyderabad Mayor, Dy Mayor posts

The ruling TRS in Telangana on Thursday bagged the Mayor and Deputy Mayor posts in theGreater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) with thesupport of ex-officio members and the AIMIM.

Vijayalaxmi R Gadwal and Mothe Srilatha, both belongingto TRS, were elected the Mayor and Deputy Mayor respectively,by show of hands, during a special meeting of the GreaterHyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

The TRS did not get a majority on its own and securedonly 56 wards in the 150-member GHMC in the civic electionsheld in December last.

The BJP contested the Mayor and Deputy Mayor electionthough it lacked the numbers, but the TRS nominees won as theex-officio members and the AIMIM backed them.

Though BJP won 48 wards in the election, its strengthcame down to 47 following the death of one of its victoriouscandidates.

The saffron party had said it decided to contest for theMayor and Deputy Mayor posts, despite lacking the numbers, inthe spirit of democracy and to oppose the ''opportunistic''attempt of TRS to win the poll through a ''backhand deal'' withAIMIM.

Though the keenly-fought GHMC elections were held inDecember, the election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor was conductedon Thursday as the term of the previous body came to an endonly on February 10.

The proceedings of the special meeting began on Thursdaywith the newly-elected Corporators taking the oath of office.

While the TRS and BJP won 56 and 48 wards respectively inthe GHMC polls, the AIMIM bagged 44 wards.

Congress could win only two wards.

The BJP gave the TRS a run for its money in the GHMCpolls by organising a powerful campaign in which its topleaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, J P Naddaand UP CM Yogi Adityanath participated.

The Lok Sabha MPs and MLAs, who have their vote in thecity are ex-officio members of the corporation.

Besides, MLCs and Rajya Sabha members, who have theirvote in the city, had to give an option, choosing the GHMC, tobe able to vote, official sources said earlier.

According to GHMC sources, there were 44 ex-officiomember votes in the GHMC and TRS has 32 followed by MIM 10,BJP 2 who are eligible to vote taking the total number ofvotes to 194.

Meanwhile, state BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar allegedthat the unholy alliance between the TRS and AIMIM stoodexposed (with the AIMIM supporting the ruling party in theMayor election).

What BJP said during the GHMC poll campaign about thetwo parties came true, he claimed.

Vijayalaxmi R Gadwal is the daughter of TRS Rajya Sabhamember K Keshav Rao who had also served as state Congresspresident before joining TRS.

According to TRS sources, Vijayalaxmi did BA and LLB.

She lived in the US for several years and returned toIndia in 2007.

While in the US, she worked as a research assistant inDuke University, North Carolina.

She won from Banjara Hills ward in 2016 and again inDecember, 2020.

Mothe Srilatha is TRS Corporator from Tarnaka ward.