GHMC Elections 2020: 597 nominations filed

Hyderabad: A total of 522 candidates filed their nominations on Thursday, which was the second and penultimate day for filing of nominations that are set to come to a close at 3 pm on Friday. Until now, 537 candidates entered the fray in 150 divisions. With some of them filing multiple nominations the total nominations received thus far has gone up to 597, according to information released by GHMC.

195 candidates have filed nominations from TRS, 140 candidates have filed from BJP, 68 from Congress with 110 candidates have entered the fray as Independents.

In less than 24 hours after main political parties finalised their candidates in GHMC polls, candidates started flocking respective offices of Returning Officer to file their nominations. Candidates from TRS, BJP, Congress filed their nominations in various divisions on Thursday

With less than 24 hours left for the nomination filing, candidates in the fray of political parties have little time on hand to complete the formalities.

Ministers in K Chandrashekar Rao's cabinet have hit the streets already as part of campaigning for GHMC polls even as the filing of nominations was continuing throughout the day. TRS MLC and KCR's daughter took part in nomination filing programme of Gandhinagar candidate Mutha Padma Naresh.

Eatala Rajender, Errabelli Dayakar Rao, Jagdish Reddy, Koppula Eshwar, V Srinivas Goud, Satyavathi Rathod etc chaired meetings with party candidates and leaders in various divisions to work on winning strategies. Later they undertook campaigning in some divisions also. Like during previous GHMC elections in 2016, ministers from erstwhile Karimnagar district were tasked the responsibility of electioneering in Malkajgiri assembly segment. Accordingly, Health Minister Eatala Rajender gave B-Forms to party candidates Chintala Vijaya Shanti (Alwal), Sabitha Kishore (Venkatapuram), Jitender Nath (Macha Bollarum). He along with local MLA Mynampalli Hanumantha Rao undertook campaigning in some areas in these divisions. Eatala appealed to voters to repose faith in TRS candidates like they did in 2016 elections. Another minister from Karimnagar Koppula Eshwar campaigned for the TRS candidate in 135 division.

Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy exuded confidence of TRS winning more than 100 seats comfortably in GHMC elections. He took part in nomination programme of TRS Saroornagar candidate Anitha Dayakar Reddy on Thursday. Tourism Minister V Srinivas Goud along with TRS MLAs Guvvala Balaraju and Mutha Gopal held a meeting in Musheerabad with party candidates from various divisions coming under the assembly constituency.

Errabelli held a meeting with party candidates in divisions falling under Uppal assembly constituency and worked on electioneering strategies over the next few days. Minister Satyavathi Rathod and party leaders offered prayers in Saibaba Temple in Dharmapuri colony in Chilukanagar division and commenced the party campaigning programme. She assured of developing the ward if TRS secured a win again in this division.