HYDERABAD: The upcoming municipal corporation elections are expected to be a crucial political test for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as it seeks to strengthen its position in Telangana ahead of future Assembly elections.
The polls will place several senior BJP leaders, including Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, under the spotlight. Although the party won only one Assembly seat in Hyderabad, it secured four Lok Sabha constituencies — Secunderabad, Malkajgiri, Chevella and Medak — that together cover several municipal corporation areas.
State BJP president N Ramchander Rao, who recently completed a year in office, also faces an important organisational challenge. Party leaders view the corporation elections as a key milestone in the BJP’s efforts to expand its urban base in Telangana.
According to party sources, the BJP has decided to entrust its MPs with the responsibility of securing a majority of divisions in their respective corporation areas. Former state president and Minister of State Bandi Sanjay Kumar has reportedly been assigned responsibility for the Warangal Corporation campaign. During his tenure as state president, the BJP won 46 divisions in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, its best-ever performance in the civic body.
The party is also looking to build on the momentum generated by recent visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Nitin Nabin, who addressed booth-level workers and party leaders during their programmes in Telangana.
Party sources said the MPs — Kishan, Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, Eatala Rajender and M Raghunandan Rao — are expected to lead the campaign in the corporation areas falling within their respective parliamentary constituencies. The BJP hopes a strong performance in these urban bodies will reinforce the political standing of its MPs ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Success in urban pockets
The party also points to its earlier successes in urban local bodies. Dharmapuri Arvind led the BJP’s campaign in Nizamabad Municipal Corporation, where it emerged as the single largest party, while Sanjay spearheaded the campaign in Karimnagar Municipal Corporation, where the BJP secured control of the civic body.
For Kishan, Rajender, Vishweshwar Reddy and Raghunandan Rao, the elections are expected to be closely watched, particularly in Greater Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Malkajgiri. Party leaders believe a strong performance would provide momentum ahead of the Assembly elections, especially in the context of the proposed delimitation exercise.
The BJP is also optimistic that an improvement in its vote share in the corporation elections could strengthen its prospects if the number of Assembly constituencies is increased following delimitation. Leaders argue that the party continues to enjoy a strong urban support base, pointing to its performance in previous GHMC and Lok Sabha elections.
Within the party, there is also an expectation that a section of the BRS vote could shift towards the BJP, particularly in urban areas where leaders believe the contest is increasingly becoming one between the BJP and the Congress. They are especially hopeful of gains in Malkajgiri, where a large migrant population is seen as politically influential.
Alongside its election preparations, the BJP has intensified booth-level management and organisational work. Leaders are also looking to induct workers and local leaders from both the BRS and the Congress who are said to be dissatisfied with their respective parties.
At the same time, party insiders acknowledge that internal differences among some leaders remain a concern. Candidate selection is also emerging as a subject of discussion within the cadre, with uncertainty over whether nominees will be chosen by the MPs or by the state leadership based on internal surveys.
Political observers say the corporation elections will provide an early indication of whether the BJP can convert its parliamentary success into sustained support in Telangana’s urban local bodies.