Telangana Congress accuses TRS of breaching MCC ahead of GHMC polls, seeks action

Ahead of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) polls, which are scheduled to be held on December 1, the Telangana Congress has written to the state election commission alleging a breach of the code of conduct. The state's Congress President Uttam Kumar Reddy has claimed that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) party has put up advertisements on all pillars of L&T metro rail and RTC bus shelters - which are government properties. Underlining the norm that no advertisements of political parties are to be put up on government or semi-government properties, the Telangana Congress has sought action against the TRS property. 

"TRS party has put up advertisements on all pillars of L&T metro rail in the ongoing GHMC elections. L&T metro rail is a public private partnership firm and stae and central governments funding. There is government shareholding in L&T metro rail company, Government of India has also given viability gap funding of over Rs 2,000 crores. The state government has given precious land for L&T metro rail. Also, TRS party has put up advertisements on RTC bus shelters, public toilets etc," Reddy wrote in his letter to the state election commissioner. 

READ | Ex-Hyderabad Mayor Karthika Reddy Of Congress Joins BJP Ahead Of GHMC Polls 

The Telangana State Election Commission (TSEC) has announced that 150 GHMC divisions will go to polls on December 1 and the counting of votes will be done on December 4. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the polling time has been extended by one hour, i.e., from 7 am to 6 pm. The current term of the GHMC council ends in February 2021 and in the 2016 elections, AIMIM won 44 seats, TRS won 99. BJP won 4 seats, Congress won 2 and TDP won one seat. Interestingly, the GHMC election will be held via ballots and not EVMs.

READ | 'We Will Withdraw Nominations': Janasena Extends Support To BJP, Backs Out Of GHMC Polls

Congress' Karthika Reddy joins BJP 

With the BJP eyeing an expansion in the southern India, where it has minute presence except for in Karnataka, former Mayor Banda Karthika Reddy of the Congress joined the BJP on Thursday in presence of the saffron party's election-in-charge Bhupender Yadav, MoS Home G Kishan Reddy and BJP State president Bandi Sanjay Kumar. Speaking at a press conference, Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar said that the upcoming municipal polls are 'a fight between patriots and traitors'. Highlighting that the BJP has stood for the Hindus which accounts for 80% of the population of the state, Kumar said, "The BJP will not tolerate if somebody creates problems for Hindus. The Chief Minister, who claims to be a Hindu, had an alliance with the AIMIM party, which kills Gau mata."

READ | In Hyderabad, GHMC Elections To Be Held On Dec 1; Ballot Boxes To Be Used Instead Of EVMs

READ | After 'anti-BJP Front' Call, Telangana CM KCR Confident Of TRS Victory In GHMC Polls