Hyderabad: Kin of TRS netas eye Mayor's kursi

Hyderabad Mayor: Several woman contestants, including relatives of TRS leaders, are in the race for the Mayor post. Though the party has not decided on the post of Mayor, there are speculations that the candidates who are relatives of TRS leaders are in the race. The city would have a woman mayor this time, thanks to the draw of lots taken up during the Municipal elections in the State early this year.

The party leaders said that there were many candidates who can take up the post of Mayor as most of them have experience as corporator and have got the ticket for the second time. Sources said that Madhavaram Roja from Vivekananda Nagar Colony division, who is said to be a close relative of Kukatpally MLA Madhavaram Krishna Rao could be a possible Mayor candidate. Leaders said that being from the Velama community, her name was heard in the party circles.

The other leaders who are also in line include Gadwal Vijaya Laxmi from Banjara Hills division. Vijaya Laxmi is the sitting corporator and she is also the daughter of party's secretary-general and parliamentary party leader K Keshava Rao. The name of P Vijaya Reddy, Khairatabad division corporator is also being heard. She is the daughter of former Congress leader P Janardhan Reddy. The other names in Mayor's race include Padmavati Reddy from Bagh Amberpet, Muta Padma Naresh from Gandhi Nagar division. Padma Naresh is the wife of M Naresh, the brother of Musheerabad MLA M Gopal.

Present mayor Bonthu Rammohan Rao is keen on making his wife Bonthu Sridevi the next Mayor. Rammohan met party leaders including Minister KT Rama Rao and Kavitha to seek ticket for his wife from Cherlapally. However, the party has not taken any decision on Cherlapally division and kept it pending. Sources said that the party may not give ticket to her.

Though the city will have a woman Mayor this time, it will not be the first time. The first mayor of Hyderabad was Rani Kumudini Devi. She was the daughter of P Venkataramana Reddy, who was deputy prime minister in Nizam's rule. She was elected unanimously as mayor of Hyderabad in 1962.