Date:04/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/04/stories/2008100458030100.htm

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State mulls GHMC polls in December

HYDERABAD: The Congress government is actively considering a move to hold the long-overdue elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in December.

The possibility of holding the polls figured at a meeting that Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy had with Greater Hyderabad Congress Committee president Danam Nagender and Minister for Backward Classes Welfare M. Mukesh on Friday night to review the party’s chances in the State capital in the Assembly elections.

Sources said Dr. Reddy enquired with the City Congress leaders whether the party was in a position to face civic polls. These leaders reportedly convinced Dr. Reddy that the situation was conducive to take the plunge at the earliest.

Mr. Nagender submitted to the Chief Minister a report on the party’s prospects vis-À-vis the five major parties and also a list of probable candidates in the 150 divisions. Dr. Reddy is reported to have asked Mr. Mukesh to verify whether all eligible persons had indeed received Rajiv Arogyasri cards and welfare pensions. He indicated that he would meet city officials soon to review the progress of ongoing developmental and welfare works.

Elections to the erstwhile MCH were last conducted in February 2002 and after completion of its term in April 2007, the civic body was upgraded to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation by merging 12 municipalities. The city now has five zones and 17 circles to cater to a population of 60 lakh in an area of 650 sq km. Each division has a population of 37,000.