HYDERABAD, 30 January 2025: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) general meeting witnessed heightened tensions as corporators from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Congress engaged in heated exchanges. The discord arose over demands for the release of funds for Hyderabad’s development and calls for Mayor Vijayalakshmi’s resignation.
Despite Mayor Vijayalakshmi’s attempts to proceed with discussions on the budget, the corporators continued their protests, leading to a chaotic atmosphere. BRS members displayed placards urging the government to fulfill its promises to the GHMC and surrounded the mayor’s podium, insisting on her resignation.
The situation escalated into a verbal confrontation between Congress and BRS corporators, culminating in a physical altercation. Congress members seized and tore placards held by BRS corporators, further intensifying the tension. In response, the mayor ordered the marshals to remove the disruptive members from the council. Subsequently, BRS corporators were taken into custody and transported to various police stations.
Female corporators expressed their indignation, questioning the legitimacy of their detention for raising pertinent issues. Amberpet corporator staged a sit-in protest on the road, alleging unlawful arrest.
Concurrently, BJP corporators voiced their dissatisfaction, asserting that Hyderabad’s development had come to a standstill. They demanded the immediate release of funds. BJP leader Shravan protested near the GHMC office, symbolically begging to draw attention to the issue, and called for the allocation of funds to corporators across all divisions.
Despite a brief adjournment, the council meeting resumed and is currently ongoing. Mayor Vijayalakshmi is expected to present the budget later in the afternoon.
