The governing local body in Secunderabad Cantonment is witnessing frenzied politicking among its board members as talk of electing a new vice president grows louder.
Seven of eight elected ward members of the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) are affiliated to the ruling TRS. At the time of the board’s election just about two years ago, senior party functionaries of the TRS including State Cabinet Ministers T. Padma Rao Goud, T. Srinivas Yadav who oversee the party’s functioning in the Cantonment, brokered an agreement on the vice-president’s post among contenders for the office.
Claims to VP post
The incumbent Vice-President S. Keshav Reddy has held the post for two years. It now transpires that other members of the board have made claims to the VP’s post, citing the deal struck at start of the board’s term in 2015. While the Cantonments Act states that a vice-president’s term of office is five years, an incumbent can resign from the post resulting in a vacancy that can be filled through an election.
Sources say ward members who are contenders for the post have sought Mr. Reddy’s resignation by next week. Senior functionaries of the TRS are also believed to have decided to handover the baton to Ward 5 member J. Ramakrishna. However, Mr. Ramakrishna is unlikely to hold office for the remainder of three years of the board’s term as other ward members too wish to occupy office.
When contacted, Mr. Reddy, who represents Ward 2 of Secunderabad Cantonment, said he is open to accept TRS decision in the matter. “I was elected with record majority consequently and I am answerable to the electorate. The party has still not announced its decision but I will abide by whatever it decides,” he said.
