The YSR Congress has intensified its poaching of Congress and Telugu Desam corporators in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation after the MIM severed its ties with the Congress on Monday.
Already, five corporators, four from the Congress and one from TD have joined YSRC.
The latest news is that another 15 to 20 corporators and co-option members from Congress and TD are in touch with YSRC leaders and may join the Jagan bandwagon anytime in the near future.
What’s more, at least three MLAs from the city are reportedly in touch with Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy and are expected to join the YSRC during the ongoing padayatra of Y.S. Sharmila Reddy.
The exodus from Congress to YSRC is mainly due to a severe discontent among the Congress corporators that their own party MLAs and ministers are not allowing them to thrive.
“Our own party MLAs, ministers and MLCs have submitted representation to the Chief Minister against us. They protested against the GHMC allocating Rs 1 crore budget for each corporator to take up developmental works in respective divisions.
The MLAs feared that allocation of the budget will allow corporator to grow in stature and become a potential MLA candidate,” a senior Congress corporator said. This corporator confirmed that many of his colleagues were willing to jump into YSRC.
Of the total 150 divisions in Greater Hyderabad, Congress had 55 corporators but that number has now come down to 50 corporators.
Adam Vijay Kumar, Congress corporator from Seethaphalmandi was the first to leave the party to join the YSRC. He is now the convener of the Greater Hyderabad wing of the YSRCP.
Later, Congress corporators S. Harshavardhan Reddy (Habsiguda), G. Suryanarayana Reddy (Suraram Colony) and Singireddy Dhanpal Reddy (Cherlapalli) have joined the YSRC.
TD corporator D. Surekha of R K Puram division also joined the YSRC, along with her husband.
Fearing mass exodus, minister Danam Nagender has started damage control exercise and is expected to convene a meeting of corporators soon.
“The Congress always recognizes genuine party workers and will also give nominated posts,” said a source close to Mr Nagender.