Telangana BJP demands early conduct of 'delayed' GHMC polls

Hyderabad: Criticising the ruling TRS government for "delaying" elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the Telangana BJP on Tuesday demanded early conduct of the polls.

"The Telangana government through an affidavit has informed the Hyderabad High Court that it will take 249 days to complete the necessary procedures to hold elections to the GHMC," BJP state president and MLA G Kishan Reddy, told reporters here.

"TRS has cited the delay to conduct elections to the civic body over completion of process of delimitation and reservation of wards. However, the previous government completed the same procedures within a week and conducted the polls earlier," Reddy said.

The term of the previous elected body of GHMC lapsed in the first week of December 2014.

"In view of the outcome of the recently held council elections, the TRS is afraid of facing elections for GHMC, that's why it is delaying the process," the BJP chief alleged and claimed the party will emerge victorious in the GHMC polls and TRS will lose.

After the forthcoming national executive of the saffron party scheduled in Bengaluru from April 2, office bearers meeting will be convened in Telangana wherein discussions will be held to prepare a roadmap on how to strengthen the party in the state, Reddy said.

On the TRS government's decision to levy tax on all stage carriers, private vehicles and goods carriers entering the state from April 1, the BJP leader termed it as a "hasty" decision taken unilaterally without consulting other political parties.

"This move will only burden the common man in Telangana with increase rates of essential commodities," he said.