Mahbubnagar: Amid high drama, TRS grabs 17 of the 20 municipalities in Palamuru

Mahbubnagar: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) emerged invincible in erstwhile Mahbubnagar region as the party grabbed 17 municipal chairperson posts out of 20 municipalities that went to polls recently.

Though there were speculations earlier that the TRS might win only 10-15 municipal chief posts out of 20 municipalities in erstwhile Mahbubnagar, the political game plan and the backdoor politics by local MLAs, MPs and MLCs of the pink party has completely turned the tide in favour of TRS. There were also speculations earlier that the Congress party might comfortably win Kosgi municipality chairperson post. However, Kodangal MLA Patnam Narender Reddy successfully dashed the hopes of the Congress party and by utilising the ex-officio votes of MLA, MP and MLC, the TRS could wrest the chairperson's post from Congress.

In fact, earlier, the people of Kosgi municipality gave a unique verdict, where in both the TRS and Congress won seven wards each while two wards were won by independent candidates, out of a total of 16 wards. However, with one independent giving his support to TRS another aligned with the Congress both the parties had the support of eight ward members, which is exactly half mark for both the parties to contest for municipal chairperson's post.

But as there was some internal skirmish, one of the TRS candidate sulked for not considering his name for municipal chairperson's post jumped into Congress party and it was almost eminent that the Congress could win the municipality as it had now got the support of 9 ward members which was above half mark. But in the last minute, the TRS MLA Patnam Narender utilised the ex-offico voting of MLA, MP and MLC and at the last moment the TRS could win the Kosgi municipality with a majority of 11 votes as against 9 votes of Congress. "Kosgi was a big challenge, though initially we thought of overcoming the Congress with ex-officio vote of MLA, however, with the Congress pulled one of our candidates towards them, we had no option but to utilise the MP and MLC ex-offico vote and had successfully grabbed the municipality," observed the Kodangal MLA.

Another big victory for TRS in erstwhile Mahbubnagar was the capturing of Amarachinta and Bhootpur municipality chairperson posts. In both these municipalities, the TRS party had no majority. In Amarachinta, only three TRS candidates won out of 10, while CPM got two, BJP, CPI, TDP and Congress parties won 1 each. However, the TRS party got the support of CPM and an independent candidate which crossed half mark and grabbed the municipality chairman post. Similarly, in Bhootpur also the TRS party had won only four wards, while BJP won four and remaining two wards were won by Congress. Until last moment there was a complete ambiguity, However in the last minute, the BJP municipal chairperson candidate changed his alliance overnight and jumped into TRS party and this led the way for TRS to grab the chairperson post of Bhootpur municipality.

With all the tough municipalities got into the grip of TRS party, the TRS high command had finally announced the names of municipal chairperson and vice-chairpersons elected from all the 17 municipalities across erstwhile Mahbubnagar.

From Mahbubnagar municipality, KC Narashimulu and Tati Ganesh of TRS bagged the chairperson and vice-chairperson post, from Bhootpur, Baswaraj of TRS was elected as chairperson, while K Srinivas, who jumped from BJP to TRS party, got the vice-chairperson post. In Narayanpet, Gande Anasuya elected as chairperson, while Harinaryan Bhattad was elected as vice-chairperson.

In Makthal, the BJP bagged both chairperson and vice-chairperson post; where in Pavani Mallikarjun was elected as chairperson, while Akila Rajashekar was elected as vice-chairperson.

In Kosgi, Shirsh was elected as chairperson, while Annapurna was elected as vice-chairperson, both are from TRS party. In Wanaparthy municipality, Gattu Yadav was elected as chairperson and Vaakiti Sridhar was elected as vice-chairperson. Coming to Pebbair, TRS party bagged the chairperson and vice-chairperson's post, where in Kurna Sri and Karre Swami was elected as chairperson and vice- chairperson respectively.

Sukhisini was elected as chairperson and Jayamma was elected vice- chairperson from Kottakota, in Amarachinta, Mangamma of TRS got elected as chairperson, while Gopi of CPM party got vice-chairperson post.

In Gadwal district, out of 4 municipalities of Ieeja, Gadwal, Almapur and Vaddepally, 3 municipalities were bagged by TRS party while one municipality went to Congress party.

BS Keshav and Babur were elected as chairperson and vice- chairperson from Gadwal, Devaiah and Mala Narshimulu were elected as chairperson and vice- chairperson from Ieeja, Manoharamma and Sekhar were elected as chairperson and vice- chairperson from Alampur municipality.

Coming to Vaddepally, Karuna and Sujatha of Congress were elected as chairperson and vice- chairperson.

The TRS party also continued its strong hold in Nagarkurnool, Kalwakurthy, Kollapurr, Shadnagar, and Kodangal municipalities and won all the chairperson and vice- chairperson posts.

In Nagarkurnool, Kalpana Goud was elected as chairperson, while Bhaskar Rao was elected as vice- chairperson, in Kollapur; Vijalaxmi won chairperson's post while Mohamooda was elected as vice- chairperson.

In Kalwakurthy, TRS party's Yedma Satyam was elected chairperson, while Shaid was elected as vice- chairperson, in Shadnagar Narender was elected as chairperson while MS Natarajan was elected as vice chairperson. In Kodangal, Jageeshwaar Reddy was elected chairperson and Saroja was elected as vice-chairperson.

Finally, in Amangal, the BJP party bagged this municipality and won both the chairperson and vice- chairperson's post. Rampal Nayak was elected as chairperson and Durgaiah was elected as vice- chairperson.

Overall, the TRS had won 17, Congress 1 and BJP had won 2 municipalities from across erstwhile Mahbubnagar district.