Exhibition Society elections turn tense in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: The upcoming Exhibition Society elections in the city have taken a dramatic turn. While state minister D Sridhar Babu was unanimously elected as president, voting will be held on September 26 for the remaining executive posts.

The society holds elections every September. In most years, the posts are filled unopposed. This time, however, multiple nominations were filed for vice-president, honorary secretary, joint secretary, treasurer and seven managing committee members, making polls unavoidable.

Several members said they were dissatisfied with the “dictatorial style” of the current body and wanted change. They alleged that the committee had taken unilateral decisions in recent months without giving written replies to questions raised by members.

At the upcoming general body meeting, members are expected to question these decisions. Some alleged that stall rentals and entry fees were raised to unprecedented levels, leading to strong objections from stall organisers and participants, particularly from other states.

Allegations of bias in fund allocation

The Exhibition Society runs about 20 educational institutions across Telangana. However, members alleged that the revenue was not shared equally. According to them, a few favoured colleges received large funds, while others were ignored.

They said that for several years, a small group had been running the society “like their personal fiefdom,” forcing members to demand elections.

Formed in 1938 during the Nizam’s rule, the Exhibition Society has 277 members and an 87-year history.