Hyderabad: The political atmosphere in Telangana State once again began to warm up, despite growing skepticism among opposition parties about facing the challenges of ruling TRS, with the sounding of bugle for yet another round of battle royal for three civic bodies in the state.
Elections are scheduled to be held on March 6 for Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation, Khammam Municipal Corporation and Achampet Nagar Panchayat. This civic election is being held close on the heels of polling in GHMC, one of the biggest corporations in the country, in which the ruling TRS has steamrolled the opposition.
The TRS after achieving a poll hat-trick by winning with thumping majorities in the elections to Warangal Lok Sabha seat, GHMC and Narayankhed Assembly seat, has now set its eyes on the upcoming elections to dwelt a white wash of its opponents. It is pertinent to note here that the opposition parties, especially the Congress and the Telugu Desam, could not face the pink Tsunami furry and swept away in the GHMC and Narayankhed elections.
What is more humiliating for Telugu Desam, which is on the verge of extinct from Telangana state, was that it managed to win only one of the 150 Divisions in GHMC courtesy the Seemandhra settlerts while it could not retain its deposit in the Narayankhed by-elections. To add insult to injury the TDP nominee was trounced by his own brother who contested as the TRS candidate. The Congress fate is no better. Though it managed to retain its deposit in Narayakhed by-poll, it was reduced to a two-division position in the GHMC after having ruled the corporation for five years.
Thus the upcoming elections in the three civic bodies have attained political importance as all attention is focused on the performance of the TRS in resounding yet another death knell for the opposition parties. While the TRS is one up against its opponents in this poll battle, the opposition parties too after getting bruised and mauled recently have also began to tighten their belts to face the ruling party challenge. IN a surprise development the district unit of the BJP gave a jolt to its ally TDP by expressing that it was not in favour of an alliance with the yellow brigade after its bitter experience in the GHMC elections.
Having worked out its strategy well in advance, the TRS has already began to implement its action plan for the Warangal and Khammam elections. Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao once again entrusted the electioneering in Warangal to his son and IT and Municipal Administration Minister K. T. Rama Rao, who proved his mettle in the recent GHMC elections. KTR has already commenced his campaigning by inaugurating various schemes and also addressing meetings in the corporation limits. He has been assuring the electorate about the TRS plans to develop Warangal City on the lines of Hyderabad City by turning it into an IT hub.
While KTR is busy campaigning in Warangal, KCR has been diligently implementing his now famous “Operation Akarsh” to lure important leaders from the opposition camps. Already senior and influential leaders of Warangal district like Erraballi Dayakar Rao ( TDP ) Konda Surekha and her husband ( Congress) have been inducted in TRS. Now the C M seemed to be wooing some more leaders from the Congress like Basavaraju Sarraiah into the TRS fold.
As for as Khammam Municipal Corporation elections are concerned, the TRS seemed confident of repeating its GHMC performance after having enticed into the party fold senior leaders from the opposition camps like Tummala Nageshwar Rao who was even inducted into the KCR ministry. Though considered as a strong hold of CPM and Congress, the recent developments and defections from one party to another, there is a sea change in the political scenario of the district,. Despite the need for fighting the elections jointly, there seems to be some reservations between the CPM and CPI for forging an alliance. On the other hand CPI due to some compelling reasons seem to be leaning towards a Congress alliance.
What seem to have come as a big shocker to the opposition parties, particularly the Congress and the TDP, is that many senior and influential leaders both in Warangal and Khammam are reluctant to burn their fingers after having seen the TRS performance in the recent three elections in the state. As a matter of fact the Congress and the TDP seemed to be facing a dearth of candidates for the upcoming elections.
Thus while the opposition parties trying to work out various permutations and combinations to face the TRS challenge, the ruling party on the other hand seem tom already sitting in the drivers’ seat in the upcoming civic elections. (NSS).
Warangal, Khammam civic polls Amidst Opposition Skepticism, TRS In Drivers Seat
