Free water, electricity announced in Telangana; TRS Govt offers freebies with a caveat [Details here]

"We want a Hyderabad for all or Hyderabad for a few?" echoed as Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao said water bills for usage up to 20,000 litres in households within the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits will not have to be paid, ahead of civic polls due on December 1.

During the launch of the manifesto, the Chief Minister said these will be implemented in all municipalities of the state later. He also asked people if they want a peaceful Hyderabad or a curfew-hit Hyderabad. 

Here's what the manifesto included:

• Power charges for hair cutting saloons and laundries were also waived off while launching the Telangana Rashtra Samithi's manifesto.
• Movie Theaters will also get free electricity till the revival of business.
• All shops and businesses established under Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation will not have to pay electricity charges in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

• The Chief Minister also said Hyderabad's Musi river will be linked with the Godavari and developed like the Thames River in London.
• KCR also announced a master plan to make Hyderabad flood-free.
• He said orders will be issued for the reopening of theatres.

• He also promised to provide more jobs.
• The Chief Minister said all commercial establishments and industries in HT and LT categories will be exempted from minimum demand charges from March to September.
• Three more Telangana Institute of Medical Science will be established in the state, he said.

About GHMC elections dates and more

Elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) will be held on December 1, the Telangana State Election Commission said., State Election Commissioner C Parthasarathi said that polling for the 150-member body will be held through ballot papers in view of complaints about the functioning of Electronic Voting Machines.

The counting of votes will be taken up on December 4. The post of Mayor has been reserved for a woman candidate from the general category. The elections are being held as per the reservation quota of 2016 elections. The SEC issued a poll notification on Monday while nominations will be received from Tuesday onwards. The process of filing of nominations will continue till November 20.

Scrutiny will be done on November 21 while November 22 will be the last date for withdrawal of nominations. The list of contesting candidates will be published on November 22. The polling will be held on December 1 from 7 am to 6 pm. The SEC said polling hours have been extended by one hour in view of COVID-19 pandemic. Repolling, wherever necessary, will be held on December 3.

The SEC said that the poll process will be conducted as per COVID-19 guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India. Wearing of masks and maintaining social distance will be compulsory. As per the draft voters' lists, the te GHMC has over 74 lakh voters. The final lists of voters at polling station level will be declared on November 21.

BJP vs TRS

The battle lines are drawn between ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for December 1 elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

Fresh from its victory in the recent by-election to Dubbak Assembly seat, the BJP is determined to wrest the prestigious municipal body while the TRS leadership is gearing up to check a possible saffron surge.

The run-up to the polls indicates that the two parties will be locked in a direct fight in the divisions outside the strongholds of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), the third main contestant which will be looking to play key role by retaining 44 seats it won in the 2016 elections.

The stakes will be high for the TRS, which had won a landslide majority in the previous elections with 99 seats in 150-member body as BJP will be going all out to win the prestigious battle, being seen as the semi-final before 2023 Assembly polls.

(With inputs from wires)