Under new GHMC limits, AIMIM could truly rule
The new limits favour AIMIM, covering all its strongholds and adding Rajendranagar to its growing sphere of influence.
Hyderabad’s Civic Split: AIMIM’s Old City Stronghold Gets a Booster Shot in GHMC Rejig
Hyderabad’s streets are abuzz with the fresh whiff of change. On February 11, just a day after the old Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) council’s term fizzled out, the Telangana government sliced the giant into three: slimmer GHMC, shiny. For Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM, it’s like a tailor-made gift—repackaging their Old City turf into a leaner, meaner powerhouse primed for poll glory. Picture the relief: no more sprawling empire diluting their grip.
AIMIM had kicked up a fuss when GHMC ballooned from 625 sq km to 2,053 sq km, wards doubling to 300. Their 44-seat hauls in 2015 and 2020? At risk in a bigger pond. Now, the new GHMC carves out Shamshabad, Rajendranagar, Golconda, Charminar, and Khairatabad zones—pure AIMIM heartland, plus Rajendranagar where Muslim voters pack a punch (they’ve eyed that Assembly seat before). It’s family territory protected, neighbors nodding over compound walls: “Our lanes stay ours.”
A GHMC insider whispers the math: old 123 wards reshape into 150, Old City’s 44-45 swelling to 70. More seats where AIMIM’s faithful—iftar hosts, mosque-goers—tip scales. Commissioner RV Karnan plays coy: “No delimitation yet; six months till polls per rules.” But sources say it’ll simmer closer to election day, stirring the pot just right.
An unnamed AIMIM bigwig grins to Siasat.com: “We’ll surge past 50 seats easy. About 70 Muslim-majority wards—straight BJP duels there. The other 80? Congress, BRS, BJP triangle. In our zones, Hindus vote saffron sometimes, but we’ll hold the line.” Feel the street pulse? It’s not cold strategy; it’s aunties rallying for better lights in Bandlaguda, youth eyeing dust-free mohallas.
This trifurcation ends months of whispers. GHMC shrinks to core; CMC grabs HITEC City’s glitz (Additional Commissioner G Srijana helms); MMC takes Malkajgiri’s bustle (T Vinay Krishna Reddy in charge). RV Karnan stays GHMC boss—continuity amid chop. For residents, it’s hope: smaller bodies mean quicker pothole patches, less red tape for building nods.
Human angle hits home. Old City folks remember flooded drains, erratic garbage—issues drowned in old GHMC’s vastness. Now, Charminar wards get undivided love; Rajendranagar’s mix sparks fiercer fights but fairer focus. Cyberabad techies cheer swankier infra; Malkajgiri families dream parks sans delays.
Congress and BRS grumble—did Revanth Reddy’s team tweak for AIMIM allies? BJP smells opportunity in fringes. But for AIMIM, it’s vindication: from opposition howls to tailored turf. As commissioners settle, Hyderabad hums—wards realigning like neighborhood cricket teams picking sides.
Next polls? Expect feverish door-knocks, iftar feasts, temple aartis swaying votes. Will AIMIM’s 70 wards deliver? Can rivals crack Old City? For us everyday Hyderabadis—haggling at Laad Bazaar or zooming HITECity—it’s about bins emptied on time, streets lit safe. This split isn’t just lines on maps; it’s our daily grind getting a fighting chance. Cheers to smaller, sharper civic love—Hyderabad’s mosaic, remixed.