Deccan Chronicle 06.11.2009

Few takers for mayor

Hyderabad
Nov. 5: The coveted mayor’s post has lost its charm following a change in rules, and top leaders appear disinterested in the race to be the first citizen of the Greater Hyderabad.

Unlike in the past, the Mayor will be elected from among the 150 ward members. This means the mayoral candidate will have to contest from a ward, and his party will have to win majority in the House.

The 62 ex-officio members of the corporation — MPs, MLAs, MLCs, — will have voting rights in mayoral election and could tilt the balance. Earlier, the mayor was elected directly by the voters.

The Mayor’s post comes with big perks: He receives all ranking dignitaries visiting the city and is invited to all state government functions in the city. He will hold a Cabinet minister rank, and will have the privilege of a “red lamp” atop his car. The mayor’s name will figure on all plaques marking state functions.

Heavyweights like Mr D. Nagender of the Congress and Mr T. Srinivas Yadav and Mr T. Krishna Reddy of the TD, whose names were bandied about for the mayoral post, are not willing to contest for the post.

Mr Krishna Reddy, a former mayor, said: “I was elected Mayor in the 2002 MCH elections by voters from 13 Assembly constituencies. How can one expect me to contest a ward election now?”

Mr Krishna Reddy had lost the elections held earlier this year narrowly to Ms Sabitha Indra Reddy from the Maheshwaram Assembly segment. Sources said the TD is pressing Mr Krishna Reddy to enter the GHMC fray.

The MIM, which claims it is the favourite in the mayoral race, is keeping mum on its candidate. The party has fielded Mr Mir Zulfiqar Ali from Hussaini Alam ward this time but has not named him as its mayoral candidate. Mr Ali has lost the mayoral race in 2002.

The Congress has decided to name its mayoral candidate only after the results are announced. Sources said the name of senior Congress leader, Mr Pitla Krishna, tops of the list of probables.