The strategic decision of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) to support the TRS in the last moment in the election of mayor and deputy mayor for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation on Thursday once again exposed the indirect alliance between the two parties.
The TRS, which was struggling to reach the majority mark in the GHMC council, despite roping in all its co-option members, struck a secret understanding with the MIM and ensured that it would have smooth sailing in the election of mayor and deputy mayor.
As a result, Gadwal Vijayalakshmi from Banjara Hills divion got elected as the new mayor of the GHMC, while Mothe Srilatha Shobhan Reddy from Tarnaka bagged the deputy mayor post, without any hassles, as the MIM members raised their hands in support of these two women, amidst “Shame-Shame” and “Jai Sri Ram,” slogans from the BJP members.
Vijayalakshmi happens to be the daughter of TRS parliamentary party leader K Kesava Rao. She defeated the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Radha Dheeraj Reddy, corporator from R K Puram division. Srilatha defeated Shankar Yadav of the BJP.
Initially, there were reports from the MIM camp that it would also field candidates for Mayor and deputy mayor posts. This led to some kind of hope in the BJP camp that there would be a stalemate and the party might stand some chance of winning the Mayor post.
However, minutes before the election process began, the MIM opted out of the contest and extended support to the TRS candidates, as a result of which they were declared elected without any hassles.