BJP to deploy big guns Amit Shah, Nitin Nabin for civic polls outreach
HYDERABAD: Telangana is set for a high-voltage campaign by the BJP in the municipal elections scheduled for February 11.
BJP national president Nitin Nabin and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to lead the campaign to bolster the party’s prospects in urban local body polls across the state.
According to party sources, the two leaders will address public meetings and participate in roadshows during the first week of February, covering key towns and cities.
As per the tentative schedule, Nabin is likely to address a public meeting
in Mahbubnagar on February 2 or 3. Shah is expected to address rallies in Nirmal and lead a roadshow in Karimnagar on February 7 or 8. The BJP’s campaign trail is set to include Nirmal, Karimnagar and Mahbubnagar, all considered politically significant urban centres.
Sources said the party has commissioned an internal survey to gauge public mood across municipalities and municipal corporations. The BJP believes the feedback will be favourable in several urban bodies, particularly in Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Mahbubnagar municipal corporations, where it expects a positive voter response.
Party leaders are hopeful of securing strong results in these corporations with the active involvement of BJP MPs and MLAs. The leadership believes the party is in a relatively better position in several urban local bodies compared to the Congress and the BRS.
Viewing the municipal elections as politically crucial, the BJP is treating the contest as a stepping stone to capturing power in the state in the next Assembly elections. Adding to the momentum, the party has appointed Maharashtra Minister Ashish Shelar as the election in-charge for the municipal and corporation polls.
Shelar familiar with Telangana
Shelar’s appointment has generated interest within party ranks, as he had earlier served as co-in-charge for GHMC elections in 2020, where he was credited with effective coordination between leaders and cadre.
Party leaders are optimistic of gaining a majority of corporators such as Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Mahbubnagar, with prominent leaders including MPs Dharmapuri Arvind, Bandi Sanjay and DK Aruna expected to play a key role. The BJP is also focusing on municipalities such as Nirmal, Bodhan, Kamareddy, Korutla, Jagtial, Metpally, Adilabad, Medak and a few others.
Meanwhile, the party is in the process of appointing senior state-level leaders as in-charges for each municipality and municipal corporation.
Their role will be to coordinate with second-rung leaders and ensure effective implementation of campaign strategies devised by the election in-charges and the state leadership.