Hyderabad Nearly 11 months ahead of the elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), the main opposition party in Telangana, is contemplating moving a no-confidence motion against mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi and deputy mayor Mother Srilatha Reddy to corner the ruling Congress, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
A formal decision to move the no-confidence motion against the mayor and the deputy mayor is expected to be taken at a meeting of the BRS corporators of the GHMC on Saturday. All the MLAs, MLCs and MPs, who are ex-officio members of the GHMC will attend the meeting.
The issue of moving a no-confidence motion came up for discussion at a luncheon meeting between BRS working president KT Rama Rao and senior lawmaker and former minister Talasani Srinivasa Yadav in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
During the last GHMC elections held in December 2020, the BRS won 56 seats in the 150-seat corporation, followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which won 48 seats and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) won 44 seats. The Congress won just two seats. Despite lacking the absolute majority, the BRS captured the GHMC with the support of the AIMIM.
After the Congress won the Telangana state assembly elections held on November 30, 2023, the strength of the Congress went up to 23, following the defection of 12 corporators from the BRS and nine from the BJP. Even mayor Vijayalakshmi and deputy mayor Mothe Srilatha switched to the Congress.
{{/usCountry}}After the Congress won the Telangana state assembly elections held on November 30, 2023, the strength of the Congress went up to 23, following the defection of 12 corporators from the BRS and nine from the BJP. Even mayor Vijayalakshmi and deputy mayor Mothe Srilatha switched to the Congress.
{{/usCountry}}“As a result, the BRS lost control over the GHMC. Moreover, the AIMIM, too, has deserted the BRS and inclined towards the Congress, albeit indirectly. That is why, the BRS is planning to corner the Congress by moving a no-confidence motion against the mayor and deputy mayor,” a BRS functionary said on condition of anonymity.
As per the Section 91-A of the GHMC Act, a no-confidence motion cannot be moved against the mayor unless the GHMC council completes its four-year term. “Since the elected body of the GHMC assumed charge on February 11, 2021, the BRS will move the no-trust motion only after February 11,” the party functionary added.
At present, there are only 146 corporators in the GHMC council, following the death of four members in the last four years. There are 50 ex-officio members of all the four parties — BRS, BJP, Congress and AIMIM, taking the total strength to 196.
In order to move the no-confidence motion, the BRS requires the support of 50% of the members, that is 98 members. At present, the BRS has 63 members, including 43 corporators, 11 MLAs, six MLCs, and three Rajya Sabha MPs.
“They must sign the notice to move the no-confidence motion and submit the same to the Hyderabad collector, who is the presiding officer. He will convene a special meeting to consider the motion. In the meeting, the BRS should get the support of two-thirds the votes of the members present to vote out the mayor and deputy mayor,” the BRS functionary said.
Since the BRS doesn’t have enough numbers to move the no-confidence motion, it has to depend on the support of either the AIMIM or the BJP. “Since the AIMIM has been maintaining friendly relations with the Congress, it might not support the BRS. So, the only hope is the BJP. Since the BJP is opposing both the Congress as well as the AIMIM, it might extend support to the BRS. If it does, then the mayor and deputy mayor might have to step down,” the BRS leader added.