Independents, ex-officio members set to decide Mayor, Chairperson races in hung urban bodies

With 36 municipalities and municipal corporations across Telangana throwing up hung verdicts in the recent civic polls, the spotlight has now shifted to the role of ex officio members, Rajya Sabha members, Members of Parliament, Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs) and MLAs who are set to play a decisive role in the election of Mayors and municipal Chairpersons.

According to available figures from the hung municipalities and corporations, the Congress has emerged as the single largest party with 244 wards (37.4%), closely followed by BRS with 238 wards (36.4%), while the BJP secured 95 wards (14.5%). The narrow margins underline the importance of every ex officio vote in determining control of the urban local bodies.

Against this backdrop, the Telangana State Election Commission (SEC) has issued a detailed circular clarifying the role and eligibility of MPs, MLAs and MLCs in the election of Chairpersons, Vice-Chairpersons, Mayors and Deputy Mayors across the State.

The SEC made it clear that only those Rajya Sabha members and MLCs who are registered voters within the concerned municipal or municipal corporation limits would be eligible to be co-opted as ex officio members. Their eligibility would strictly be determined by their inclusion in the electoral rolls of the respective urban local body, in line with the criteria laid down by the High Court.

The guidelines were issued based on the Telangana Municipalities Act, 2019 and the norms based on a Telangana High Court judgment in 2021. The clarification assumes significance at a time when political parties are locked in intense negotiations to secure control of urban local bodies where no single party has secured a clear majority.

This restriction is expected to pose a major challenge for all political parties, as MPs and MLCs cannot freely opt to vote or participate in municipalities outside their registered electoral jurisdictions. This could significantly limit manoeuvring room in closely contested urban bodies.

The role of independent counsillors and corproators and representatives of smaller parties are also in high demand now as their support becomes crucial in deciding the Chairpersons and Mayors.

In the meantime, the Congress, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have intensified efforts to attract independent candidates and also identify eligible ex officio members and align them with specific municipalities and corporations where the mayoral and chairperson contests are expected to be tight.

Independents are also being offered deputy chairperson or deputy mayor posts to ensure their support on the crucial day of election on February 16.

Meanwile, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has convened a meeting of ministers and MLAs later this evening to finalise the party’s strategy for the formation of councils and corporations in the hung urban bodies.