CM faces SCB poll hurdle for Secretariat inauguration, BRS public meeting
HYDERABAD: The inauguration of the Secretariat complex and the BRS public meeting in Secunderabad's Parade Ground, which were postponed twice and were scheduled to be held on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14, is facing a fresh hurdle in the form of elections to the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) on April 30.
Because the election code would be in effect until then, BRS leaders believe they will be denied permission to hold a public meeting in Parade Ground, which falls under the SCB limits where the election code will be in force.
The CM is reportedly considering going ahead with the Secretariat inauguration on April 14, but may shift the venue of the public meeting to some other location in the city.
BRS leaders are scouting for a suitable location on the city outskirts to hold the public meeting. If the CM wants the public meeting to be held in Parade Ground, he will have to postpone the inauguration of the Secretariat till May, they said.
The inauguration of the Secretariat complex and the BRS public meeting in Parade Ground on February 17 were postponed after the Election Commission issued a notification on February 9 for the Legislative Council elections to the Hyderabad-Ranga Reddy-Mahbubnagar teachers' constituency and Hyderabad local authorities’ constituency.
The inauguration of the Secretariat complex was announced by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar on February 17, coinciding with his birthday. He had invited Chief Ministers M.K. Stalin of Tamil Nadu, Hemant Soren of Jharkhand, Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, and JDU national president Lalan Singh among others. He had also announced plans to hold a public meeting with these leaders on the same day at Parade Ground.
Since the MLC poll code will be in force until March 16, the CM decided to inaugurate the Secretariat complex on April 14 on the occasion of B.R. Ambedkar jayanti as well as holding the public meeting on the same day.
He was yet to make an official announcement in this regard as he was awaiting confirmation from Stalin, Soren, Yadav and Lalan Singh on their participation. The poll notification came amidst this.
