Realtors eye political innings, file nominations for Telangana municipal polls
By Sreenivasa Rao Dasari Published on 11 Jan 2020 5:42 PM GMT
Highlights
- Poll expenditure for each candidate may touch Rs five crore
Hyderabad : Hyderabad, Jan 11: In a significant development, a majority of candidates, who filed nominations for the municipal elections, are from the real estate sector. The realtors were so far supporting politicians and ministers to enjoy clout and help their ventures to prosper. But, the realtors now want to become politicians themselves to strengthen their interests and to protect their properties as well.
The concentration of nominations from realtors was more in the GHMC limits. Realtors account for 70 per cent of nominations filed in seven municipal corporations, and 21 municipalities.
Further, real estate activity has picked up after the formation of new districts in Telangana. As a result, the expenditure is on the rise in the municipal polls. One realtor says he spent over Rs 90 lakh to get the party ticket. The spending may surpass even Rs five crore in Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has taken up a survey to identify winning horses. So far no candidates from TRS have received B form though the last date for nominations concluded on Friday. The uncertainty over party candidates, coupled with the confidence of getting party ticket forced all aspirants to file nominations. This has led to a situation where in each ward has more than one TRS candidates in the fray. TRS will hand over B forms to official nominees on Tuesday, which is the last day for withdrawal of nominations. This may see a flurry of activity as party candidates denied nomination may rush to withdraw their candidatures
TRS high command and district in-charge ministers and MLAs will convince the cadre and aspirants wherever the nominations have been more than one.
The TRS party has already prepared a list of party candidates, who filed nominations. After the survey, the party will start the process of convincing the candidates to withdraw nominations.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) has started examining the nomination forms.
