HYDERABAD: The results of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections have once again showed the pathetic condition the grand old party is in. The poll results have also put the party in a tough spot as it managed to secure only two seats in its chase for 146 of the total 150 divisions. The election results also revealed that it has utterly failed to woo the voters.
While the Congress party has been reeling under an internal rift over TPCC chief post, the issue of dissidents switching loyalties to other parties has also proven to be a headache for it.
At a significant time, senior leaders like Sarve Satyanarayana, Banda Karthika Reddy, Vikram Goud, Bixpathi Goud left the party only to strengthen the BJP.
The grand old party is now facing an existential crisis after the saffron party eclipsed as an Opposition with their improved performance in Dubbaka byelection and the GHMC polls. Though there were signs of early elections, the Congress seemed to have not prepared the ground for the GHMC elections, until the notification was issued.
While failing to actively counter the narratives of TRS, AIMIM and BJP in the bitterly fought elections, the Congress also trailed behind in almost every aspect like candidate selection, campaign and releasing a manifesto when compared to the ruling TRS party.
None of the strategies, like constituting a parliamentary level committee for candidate selection and campaign committees, worked out for its benefit. While the BJP and TRS parties roped in their stalwarts to campaign for the respective candidates, except the three MPs from the State, none of the Congress top leaders invested time to campaign for party candidates.
Meanwhile, Congress leaders themselves openly declared that BJP is an “alternative” to the ruling pink party. However, TPCC working president Revanth Reddy said that they have improved their performance when compared to 2016 GHMC elections. He said that the party has improved its vote share from 10.5% to around 14%.