GWMC polls: Battle lines drawn

GWMC Polls: Battle lines were drawn for a fierce triangular fight between the TRS, the Congress and the BJP in the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) elections. In all, a whopping 502 candidates are in the fray for the 66 divisions in the urban local body (ULB).

Apparently, the ruling TRS appears to have more rebel trouble than its counterparts. The delimitation and a change in the reservations of the divisions played a huge role in the fortunes of the aspirants especially the ex-corporators.

The TRS leadership, which witnessed a mad rush for the tickets, retained only 24 sitting Corporators while rejecting to field the other 29 in the elections. The TRS had 53 Corporators in the erstwhile Council. This is seen as a lesson learnt from the election fiasco in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

It may be noted here that not all the ex-Corporators' candidature was ignored, some of them were the victims of delimitation and reservations.

On the other hand, the Congress fielded two of its sitting Corporators while the other two – Embadi Ravinder and Lingam Mounika Charan Reddy - had to leave the poll arena due to a change in reservations to their respective Divisions. The BJP retained its only sitting Corporator, Chada Swathy. Apparently, the TRS has more rebel candidates in the fray, this despite the intervention of its top leaders, including MA&UD Minister KT Rama Rao.

It's said that KTR had spoken to a few rebels and appeased them offering suitable positions later. The TRS leadership is confident of appeasing the others who didn't withdraw their nomination.

Meanwhile, Gundu Sudharani, said to be the most probable TRS candidate for the Mayor post, is up against Congress' Sirimalla Kavitha, BJP's Oruganti Swapna, CPM's Aroori Komala and independent Sunitha Sriramula.

With the withdrawal of nominations concluding on Thursday, the TRS and the BJP, which were in the fray for all the 66 divisions, have kick-started their campaign on a serious note on Friday. Barring one seat, the Congress has fielded its nominees from all the divisions.

It's learnt that the Congress has decided to support independent Chittimalla Shirisha, division 28, at the behest of its State leadership. The candidates in the fray from other parties: Telugu Desam 13, CPI and CPM eight apiece, other recognised parties including Jana Sena 39, and independents 238.