In the high-stake GHMC elections, TRS is not taking any risks as far as candidates are concerned, despite denying tickets to 26 sitting corporators while changing candidates in a few divisions where it had lost in 2016.
Repeated requests of TRS working president K.T. Rama Rao to the selected candidates to reach out to those who were denied ticket in their respective divisions indicate that the party doesn’t want to take any chances with them as every vote will be crucial, especially given BJP’s aggression.
While there are 33 new faces among the 99 sitting corporators in the final list, TRS denied ticket to 26 corporators and in other cases, changes were made for other reasons. For example, in Cherlapally, Mayor Bonthu Rammohan’s wife was given ticket. In two divisions, candidates had joined BJP much earlier. In another division, the corporator died while in one more, the sitting corporator decided to stay away from politics.
It did not nominate 26 sitting corporators based on several parameters, including a series of survey results it conducted. Some were denied ticket due to corruption charges while some were shown the door as they failed to live up to the aspirations of voters. Requests for change by the MLAs concerned and caste equations were also taken into consideration.
To nip dissent in the bud, Mr. Rama Rao advised candidates to visit the homes of those who were denied ticket and seek their blessings first. He stressed that several times, indicating there were apprehensions that the sulking leaders may mar chances of officially-named candidates. TRS also played smart by withholding many names till last minute with the hope of convincing them not to fight as rebels or switch loyalty. In several divisions, more than one candidate were asked to file the nominations to stop them from getting lured by other parties.
