IS HYDERABAD MAYOR EYEING 2014 ASSEMBLY POLLS?

By Bismah Fatima / Hyderabad

Hyderabad Mayor and active member in Majlis party, Majid Hussain likely to try his luck from nampally constituency in Hyderabad. 

Is mayor Mohd Majid Hussain eyeing an Assembly ticket in the 2014 hustings? Going by his active involvement in various programmes and works being taken up by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), he may contest the next elections from one of the Assembly constituencies in the city. Incidentally, Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) party sources have not ruled out this possibility. 
    
Since Majid Hussain’s municipal division Ahmednagar falls in the Nampally Assembly constituency, he might opt for the segment if his party gives him an opportunity to contest the polls. Incidentally, he even held review meetings with GHMC officials on a couple of occasions on various developmental works being taken up in the Nampally Assembly constituency.

Majid Hussain would complete his twoyear tenure as mayor in December 2013. As part of the power-sharing agreement with the Congress, the mayor post would revert to the party from December 2013 in the last year (GHMC elections are due in November 2014) of the fiveyear term. Also, for the first time the MIM has allowed its candidate to continue as mayor for two consecutive years, which is a break from tradition. Majid Hussain became active in the past four to five months. 

He is involved in various programmes, and has also initiated new schemes. Apart from monthly public grievances programme — ‘Face-to-Face With Mayor’, he started grievances programme in zonal offices like in the Central zone (his municipal division falls in this division), East and West Zones. He made surprise inspections in various circles and zones in the past few months. He also held job melas for the unemployed youth in South Zone and Central Zone, where his party has good representation both in the corporation and the Assembly. 
    
With just a year left for the Assembly elections and one-and-half-year left for the GHMC elections, the mayor has even directed GHMC zonal commissioners to come up with work proposals for Rs 75 crore in each of the five zones, but the proposals are yet to be prepared. He also convened a meeting with Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) officials on the summer action plan for the city. 
    

Sources said the MIM might field him from one of the Assembly constituencies as the party wants to promote youth. In fact, when MIM chose the first-time corporator as its mayoral candidate one-and-half years ago, the move surprised many as he was just 32 when he was given the mantle in January, 2012. 
    
“Though he has been enjoying the support of party bosses, there is a group working against him. When he was chosen as the mayoral candidate in 2012, some senior leaders expressed their unhappiness. With regard to the Nampally Assembly seat, Virasat Rasool Khan has been representing the constituency since 2004 and shifting him to another segment might not be easy,” an analyst said.

Sources said the MIM might field him from one of the Assembly constituencies as the party wants to promote youth. Even when MIM chose the first-time corporator as its mayoral candidate a-year-and a-half ago, the move surprised many as he was just 32 when he was given the mantle.