Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], January 26 (ANI): The long-pending demand to merge the Secunderabad Cantonment Board with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) intensified on Monday, with Congress MLA Sri Ganesh continuing his relay hunger strike and accusing the Centre of delaying both local body elections and the proposed merger for several years.

Addressing supporters at the protest site, Ganesh said the agitation was focused on a single demand--the integration of the Cantonment area into GHMC. He stated that a committee constituted three years ago to study the merger had yet to deliver results and pointed to a Centre gazette notification dated January 17, which extended the nominated-member system for another year.

The MLA noted that elections to the Cantonment Board were last held in 2015 and that the board's tenure ended in 2020, after which no fresh polls were conducted.

Calling the situation a threat to democratic functioning, he said residents were struggling with basic civic issues, including drinking water shortages, poor drainage, damaged roads, and the absence of parks and community halls.

He further alleged that the Cantonment Board was facing a financial crunch, claiming that nearly 200 crore in service charges were pending from the Centre while residents continued to pay higher registration fees without corresponding improvements in infrastructure.

According to him, representatives from resident welfare associations, community groups, and religious institutions had been visiting the protest site daily to express solidarity.

Responding to the MLA's remarks, Manne Krishank, senior Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and party spokesperson, said the merger had remained unresolved for years and criticised the Union Government for failing to act. However, he also targeted the Congress and BJP leadership, accusing both parties of turning the issue into a political contest.

Krishank alleged that BJP leaders were concentrating on securing nominated posts rather than pushing for elections or the merger, and said residents were bearing the brunt of inadequate civic infrastructure, rigid construction regulations, and persistent water shortages. He claimed that more than Rs 1,000 crore in various dues remained pending from the Centre.

Questioning the seriousness of the hunger strike, the BRS leader described it as symbolic and urged the Telangana government to directly pursue the matter with the Prime Minister and the Defence Ministry.

He also alleged unequal treatment of political protests in the state, saying his party's earlier demonstrations on the issue had faced police action while Congress leaders were being permitted to hold agitations.

The political sparring has further sharpened focus on the Secunderabad Cantonment merger demand an issue that continues to affect thousands of residents in one of Hyderabad's most densely populated zones. (ANI)