HYDERABAD: Telangana Jagruthi founder-president Kalvakuntla Kavitha has set the cat among the pigeons by deciding to field her supporters in the forthcoming municipal elections, a move that has sent ripples across Telangana’s political landscape.
According to sources within Telangana Jagruthi, Kavitha recently let the cat out of the bag during discussions with her close confidants, disclosing her intent to enter the local body arena in a calibrated but decisive manner.
Sources revealed that candidates backed by Telangana Jagruthi are likely to contest the municipal elections on the All India Forward Bloc’s (AIFB) lion symbol. The former BRS MLC is understood to be in talks with AIFB leaders to secure B-Forms for her supporters in the upcoming civic polls. A senior Telangana Jagruthi leader confirmed that the arrangement with the AIFB is confined strictly to municipal elections and does not extend beyond local bodies — for now.
Political observers believe that Kavitha’s entry could split the Bharat Rashtra Samiti’s (BRS) vote bank and potentially dent its prospects in key towns and urban pockets such as Nizamabad, Bodhan, Kamareddy, Jagtial, Metpalli, Korutla, Bellampalli, Ramagundam and Mancherial, among others.
Until now, analysts had expected the municipal contest to be a straight three-cornered fight among the Congress, BRS and BJP. However, with Kavitha throwing her hat into the ring, the BRS may have to watch its flank carefully, as any division of votes could tilt the balance and alter electoral arithmetic.
Tour of districts
The former MLC has already been on an extensive tour of several districts, launching sharp attacks on the Revanth Reddy-led Congress government and calling it to account for what she describes as its failure to implement key welfare schemes. Her aggressive outreach created a flutter in political circles, and her decision to enter the municipal fray has now stirred a hornet’s nest within opposition ranks.
Sources said Kavitha’s immediate focus is on North Telangana, particularly her former Lok Sabha constituency of Nizamabad. She is also concentrating on Karimnagar, Adilabad and Warangal districts. Leaders within Telangana Jagruthi further indicated that Siddipet municipality is firmly on her radar — a development that has come as a jolt to the BRS, given that Siddipet is considered the citadel of BRS Deputy Floor Leader T Harish Rao, who has been representing the constituency for a very long time.
Party insiders said Kavitha is keen to reassert her influence in Nizamabad, where she was elected as MP in 2014. She later served twice as an MLC from the district.
She is expected to campaign actively for the elections to the Nizamabad Municipal Corporation.
Eyes Mancherial segment
Sources also pointed out that Kavitha is eyeing the Mancherial Assembly constituency for the next Assembly elections. The seat has a significant population of Singareni employees, a bloc known to be decisive in determining electoral fortunes. Kavitha is believed to be banking on the goodwill she still commands among them, having earlier served as president of the Telangana Boggugani Karimika Sangham and having led several agitations during the Telangana statehood movement.
Telangana Jagruthi is said to be focusing on municipalities and municipal corporations including Bellampalli, Ramagundam and Karimnagar. The party is also expected to pitch in for the civic bodies of Kamareddy, Jagtial, Korutla, Metpalli, Bodhan, Nirmal, Armoor, Adilabad, Warangal and Mahabubabad. The AIFB symbol is not unfamiliar to voters in Ramagundam, where Korukanti Chander won as an AIFB MLA in 2018 and later joined the BRS.