On the long-pending elections to urban local bodies

and panchayat raj institutions, the Chief Minister said they were trying to conduct the polls "as early as possible" by overcoming legal hurdles. Earlier, he discussed with his ministers the party's strategy for the election of District Co-operative Central Bank (DCCB) chairpersons, which is due on February 18. Congress hopes to win a majority of the 22 DCCB posts and subsequently the chairmanship of AP Cooperative Central Bank, the apex bank of the co-operatives in the state.