Confused over civic polls, Congress puts selection of candidates on hold

Hyderabad: The Congress has put the selection of candidates for the municipal polls on hold with confusion on the schedule of the elections as the government is yet to take a decision on that.

Infact the party has directed the presidents of the District and Town Congress Committees to complete the selection of candidates in the second week of July with a view that the polls would be held in last week of July.

The State Election Commission has indicated that the polls would be held on July 20. But the process is dragging on with cases in the court and with delay in enacting the new municipal act. Though the government has issued the ordinance in the place of the act, it is yet to give its nod to the SEC to hold the polls. This has put the Congress in dilemma over the schedule.

The Congress which was raring to face the municipal polls has begun preparations in June. The Pradesh Congress Committee has held its core committee meeting in the last week of June and called upon the cadre to get ready for the polls. Another meeting of the core committee was held in second week of July on the same issue. The next one would be held on August 9 which would also put focus on municipal polls.

It has told the DCC and TCC presidents to select the candidates by holding the meetings of all important leaders. It has announced that BCs and minorities would be given 50 per cent of the tickets in the second core committee meeting.

Congress leaders said that they have prepared well for the polls and the cadre was also eager to face the elections. They said that the ruling TRS has been facing dissent among the people in the urban areas and the party wants to cash on it.

They said that the people of urban areas have been facing several problems and they are ready to cast their votes against the ruling party candidates. People were angry with the government for not completing the double bedroom houses as promised. They were opposing the hike of property tax in the towns.

The youngsters were unhappy for not providing them with jobs and self employment opportunities. Several towns have been facing shortage of drinking water. Leaders of the party said that the situation at the ground level was in favour of the Congress and the government has been delaying holding the polls with the feedback that situation was not in favour of the ruling party.