Mahabubnagar: MLC bypoll first litmus test for Revanth government

Mahabubnagar : With the district administration fully geared up for the safe and successful conduct of the local bodies MLC by-elections in Mahabubnagar on March 28, all eyes are on the Congress party, which has left no stone unturned in its quest for victory.

District Returning Officer and Mahabubnagar District Collector G Ravi Nayak said all security measures and polling materials had already been transported to the respective 10 polling stating stations in Mahabubnagar local bodies limits with full security. He assured that all steps were taken to make sure the MLC bypolls are held in a smooth and safe manner in the district.

Political analysts not just from Mahabubnagar but also from across Telangana state are viewing the byelection as more than just a routine contest. The party is attaching the highest priority to the polls which will be the first litmus test for Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s 100-day reign in Telangana. With stakes high and ambitions soaring, the outcome promises to set the tone for the state’s political trajectory in the days to come.

In Palamuru region, the Congress party under TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy secured surprising victories over the ruling BRS party in the recent state assembly elections. Following this

success, numerous BRS leaders sought to switch allegiance to Congress. However, the Congress leadership kept them at bay.

However, with the announcement of local bodies MLC bi-elections and upcoming Lok Sabha elections by the Election Commission, the Congress party’s post-election euphoria was short-lived. Pressed by political compulsions, the Chief Minister decided to welcome these political leaders into the Congress fold, aiming to retain his dominance in the party leadership.

Subsequently, a significant number of BRS leaders, including former MLAs, MLCs, MPs, ZPTCs, MPTCs, sarpanches, and councillors joined the party. Minister for Excise and Prohibition Jupally Krishna Rao in Nagarkurnool, Gadwal, and Wanaparthy districts, attracted councilors from various municipalities to bolster the local body vote bank for the Congress MLC candidate. DCC president and Devarkadra MLA G Madhusudhna Reddy, along with Yennam Srinvias Reddy from Mahabubnagar district, also played a key role in enlisting councilors from their respective regions.

Camp tours were organized to ensure the loyalty of these councilors and bolster support for the Congress MLC candidate Jeevan Reddy. Meanwhile, the BRS party has also taken the by-elections as prestigious, and is striving to ensure Congress defeat and thus undermine CM Revanth Reddy’s administration.

The outcome of the MLC elections will likely reshape the political landscape of Telangana for both Congress and BRS parties.