HYDERABAD: As campaigning intensifies for the February 11 municipal elections, several urban pockets across Telangana are witnessing keenly contested triangular fights involving the three main political players.
The ruling Congress, along with opposition parties BRS and BJP, are locked in verbal duels. Each party is stepping up attacks on the other, aiming to split votes in several urban local bodies.
In the erstwhile districts of Nizamabad, Adilabad, Karimnagar, Medak and Mahbubnagar, the contest is turning increasingly tight. Ministers from the Congress government, along with MLAs and MLCs, and those of the opposition parties, are going all out to secure a majority of seats.
Political circles are actively debating which party will emerge as the deciding factor in municipalities and corporations, particularly in the race to secure mayor and chairperson posts. There is also discussion on which party is likely to come out ahead once the polls conclude.
According to political observers, the AIMIM is expected to play a key role in Nizamabad and Karimnagar, where it is putting up a strong fight. The ruling Congress is reportedly exploring an understanding with the AIMIM, with an eye on clinching mayor or municipal chairperson posts in these districts.
A potential game-changer
At the same time, the BJP is also being seen as a potential game-changer in several municipalities, including Metpally, Kamareddy, Korutla, Jagtial, Adilabad, Jammikunta, Huzurabad and Medak, among others.
Analysts point out that Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Mahbubnagar corporations are set for a triangular contest. This heightened competition is attributed to the involvement of sitting MPs, including a Union minister, who are actively campaigning in these areas.
The BJP’s national leadership is also focusing on these corporations, aiming to capture mayor posts and project momentum ahead of the next Assembly elections.
Another factor under close watch is voter migration witnessed during the recent Lok Sabha elections, where a section of the BRS vote base appeared to have shifted towards the BJP, contributing to the party’s success in winning eight parliamentary seats in the state.
BJP leaders are hopeful that a similar trend will play out in urban areas, with traditional BRS voters gravitating towards the saffron party.
Against this backdrop, Congress leaders, including Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and senior ministers, have accused the BJP and BRS of being no different from each other. They have urged voters not to support either party, alleging tacit coordination between them.
Political analysts note that the chief minister’s sharp remarks against former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao are aimed at checking vote transfers and indirectly pressuring the BRS to remain electorally competitive — an outcome that could, in turn, benefit Congress candidates.
Confident & optimistic
Meanwhile, the BRS is projecting confidence, claiming public dissatisfaction with the Congress government and asserting that it remains the principal alternative capable of returning to power.
The BJP, for its part, appears buoyed by recent electoral successes in Maharashtra and elsewhere. Its national leadership has turned its attention to Telangana, particularly
the municipal polls, citing internal surveys that indicate a favourable mood among voters. This has led to high-profile campaign appearances by BJP national president Nitin Nabin.