Khammam: Congress hopeful of wresting power from TRS

Khammam: The Congress party that stills holds its sway in two Assembly constituencies in erstwhile Khammam district is taking the upcoming civic polls as a prestigious issue and planning to win all the five municipalities. In this regard, it had already picked up the candidates who would fight for the municipal chairman posts and also is in touch with other opposition parties like Telugu Desam, CPM, CPI and New Democracy for possible alliances. Under the guidance of Congress Legislature Party leader and Madhira MLA Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, the party leaders are making all plans to break the political monopoly created by the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi and also teach a befitting lesson to those who defected into the pink party.

Earlier, the Congress had showed its upper hand over the TRS in the Assembly elections held in December 2018, by winning six of the 10 Assembly seats in erstwhile Khammam. While the TRS had to be satisfied by winning only Khammam Assembly seat, the Mahakutami won eight seats and independent one seat. Of the eight seats won by Mahakutami, the Congress emerged victorious in Kothagudem, Yellandu, Pinapaka, Paleru, Madhira and Bhadrachalam.

However, after a few days, the elected Congress MLAs from Kothagudem, Yellandu, Pinapaka and Paleru and the independent candidate from Wyra defected to TRS. Similarly, Telugu Desam MLA from Sathupally, Sandra Venkata Veeraiah, also switched loyalties to TRS party, taking the total number of MLAs in TRS kitty to seven. With support of local MLAs, the TRS won the subsequent elections to gram panchayats and mandal and Zilla Parishads.

With the same spirit, the TRS is now planning to win all the municipalities in erstwhile Khammam. The elections will be held to Wyra, Sathupally and Madhira municipalities in Khammam district and Kothagudem and Yellandu municipalities in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district. As the TRS exercises power over Wyra, Sathupally, Kothagudem and Yellandhu constituencies, it is now focussing on winning the Madhira municipality that is represented by Congress leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka.

Earlier, the Congress party won the Yellandu and Madhira municipalities, TDP won Sathupally and Kothagudem was won by TRS. Wyra is going for the polls for the first time.

Congress leaders Sambani Chandrasekhar in Sathupally, DCC president Puvvala Durga Prasad in Wyra, Bhatti Vikramarka in Madhira and Bhadrachalam MLA Podem Veeraiah are all working towards steering the Congress to power in the civic polls. After the government announced reservations for the municipalities, the Congress leaders visited the municipalities and charted out plans to win the polls and restore the lost glory to the grand old party of the country.