GHMC polls to be held on Feb 2

Polling for the Greater Hyderabad Muncipal Corporation (GHMC) would be held on February 2.
The Telangana State Election Commission today issued the notification for the polls to the civic body.
As per the schedule announced by the Election Commissioner Nagi Reddy, nominations would be accepted from January 12 and January 17 is the last date for making nominations.
The scrutiny of nominations would take place on January 18 and January 21 is the last date for withdrawal.
Polling would be held on February 2 from 7 am to 5 pm. Counting of votes will be taken up on February 5. Repolling, if necessary anywhere, would be held on February 4.

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There are 150 divisions in GHMC and as many as 24 Assembly segments in Telangana come under the GHMC limits.
Congress and MIM held the GHMC in alliance in 2009.
Campaigning for the GHMC elections began even before the notification for the polls was issued.
Telangana Rasthra Samithi (TRS), led by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, has taken a lead over its rivals with hoardings highlighting the state government's schemes and programmes installed across the city.
Telangana IT and Panchayat Raj Minister K T Rama Rao, son of K Chandrasekhar Rao, and other ministers have been undertaking visits to residential localities in the city for different development programmes.

Though TRS has established a firm hold on Telangana politics, it has not been known to be a major force in Hyderabad, which has a population of about 60 lakh. TRS had not contested the last GHMC polls in 2009.
The IT and Panchayat Raj Minister also sought to reach out to the natives of Seemandhra region in Hyderabad amid allegations by the opposition that the TRS insulted and intimidated them in the past.
The GHMC elections assumes significance in view of the nature and size of the city.
The TDP-BJP alliance, which had won 15 assembly seats in the last Assembly elections, is keen on repeating its good show in the polls.

For TDP, though some of its MLAs have since shifted loyalty to the ruling TRS, the Chandrababu Naidu-led party is determined to prove that it is still a major force to reckon with in Hyderabad.
Leaving no stone unturned, BJP got its senior leaders, including Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Radha Mohan Singh, Hansraj Ahir and Bandaru Dattatreya campaign for the past in the last few days.