46 ‘criminals’ in race for GHMC polls

Hyderabad,Nov 20: At least 46 candidates with criminal record are in the race for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (Ghmc) elections.The Forum For Good Governance,having intellectuals from different spheres with various profiles on its list,on Friday submitted to the Director General of Police (DGP),Mr R R Girish Kumar,a detailed list of the candidates having criminal background.Besides the names of the candidates, the list contained the symbols and the names of the political parties from which they are seeking the election in the Ghmc polls.As per the list,the ruling Congress has fielded in the polls four candidates with criminal background while the Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (MIM) and the main Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had allotted party tickets to nine each.

Close to these parties,the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) have each fielded four candidates with criminal background.The Majlis Bachau Tehreek (MBT) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) have two ‘criminals’ each on the contestants list.The Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) of film actor-turned-politician, Mr Chiranjeevi, has given party ticket to one candidate in the Ghmc polls.At least nine Independents with criminal record are also in the fray, according to the Forum For Good Governance.“We have submitted the list along with documentary evidence to the top police officer in the State and will see what action will be folowed on the issue,”a leader of the Forum told media persons later.