Majid Hussain to chair last GHMC meeting as Mayor?

Hyderabad, Dec 8 : The General Body meeting of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) scheduled to be held on December 21 is likely to be the last to be chaired by Mohammad Majid Hussain as the GHMC Mayor.

As per the power-sharing agreement between the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and Congress, the two-year term of Majid Hussain as the GHMC Mayor will come to an end on January 3. Similarly, the term of Deputy Mayor D Rajkumar of Congress party too will end on the same day. As per the agreement, both the parties would have to swap the posts for the next one year.

Sources say that despite severing its ties with the Congress party about one year ago, the MIM might honour the power-sharing agreement it had with the Congress party.

In GHMC polls of 2009, the Congress emerged as the single largest party with 52 seats. While Telugu Desam Party won 45 seats, MIM emerged as the kingmaker with 43 seats. The Congress and MIM then entered into a post-poll alliance and agreed to share the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor for four years with the arrangement for the fifth year to be decided after MIM completes its two-year term.

The Congress party honoured the agreement and its Mayor Banda Kartika Reddy resigned from the post paving way for MIM’s Majid Hussain. Similarly, MIM’s Deputy Mayor Jaffer Hussain Meraj quit allowing Rajkumar of Congress to occupy the seat. Now the second spell of power sharing pact is nearing completion. Majid Hussain’s two-year term will come to an end on January 3 and there is a strong possibility that the city will get a new Mayor from Congress party.

When the MIM withdrew its support to the Congress Government in November last year, it was feared that the Congress Government would remove the Mayor by all means. However, this did not happen. Both the parties maintained cordial relationship in the GHMC and also maintained their dominance in the Standing Committee.

Despite having strained relationship, the MIM wants to honour its political commitment and may ask Majid Hussain to resign after the completion of two-year term. INN