HYDERABAD: Political observers note that the three main parties in the state have focused on North Telangana districts, especially Nizamabad, Adilabad, Karimnagar and parts of Warangal, while campaigning for the municipal and municipal corporation elections, as three-cornered contests are expected in a majority of urban bodies in this belt.
It goes without saying that all three parties are keen to bag the mayoral and chairperson posts in these civic bodies.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, leading the Congress campaign, also concentrated on these segments. The party had appointed ministers as parliamentary constituency-wise in-charges.
Addressing public meetings, Revanth appealed to voters to elect Congress candidates, stating that only the ruling party could carry out development works. He also alleged an understanding between the BRS and BJP to gain control of municipalities and municipal corporations.
Congress leaders say the chief minister’s remarks were aimed at preventing a transfer of votes from the BRS to the BJP, though political observers say the impact of this line of attack remains uncertain.
BJP’s target
The BJP is aiming to improve its urban presence and is targeting mayoral posts in Nizamabad and Karimnagar. The party is banking on the influence of its MPs, MLAs and MLCs in these districts.
The party deployed national leaders for campaigning, along with organising roadshows and public meetings. MPs Bandi Sanjay, Dharmapuri Arvind and Godem Nagesh, BJLP leader Aletti Maheswar Reddy and other legislators focused on their respective areas. BJP state president N Ramchander Rao and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy toured several municipalities as part of the campaign.
The BRS intensified efforts to retain its vote share in North Telangana, a region where it has maintained a strong base since its formation.
Senior leaders KT Rama Rao and T Harish Rao, along with MLAs, former MLAs and former MPs, campaigned across urban bodies to mobilise party workers. However, there are concerns over possible erosion of votes following the All India Forward Bloc fielding candidates backed by former MLC K Kavitha. Party leaders are assessing which rival may benefit from any split in votes.
As polling approaches, all parties have focused on voter mobilisation and booth-level management, seeking to consolidate support in closely contested urban bodies.