Municipal polls, a big challenge for parties

Hyderabad: With the municipal election just two weeks away, all political parties plunged into election mode in Telangana.

While the TDP Telangana unit announced to fight the elections alone, the ruling TRS is struggling hard to finalise the candidates as the aspirants for party tickets has grown manifold.

Not confident of winning the urban local body (ULB) elections, the main opposition Telangana Congress is scouting for suitable alliance at local level with CPI, CPM and TJS (Telangana Jana Samithi) parties.

TRS leaders said that at least 10 to 15 members are vying for party ticket in each ward in the poll-bound municipalities.

In the ULBs mainly around the Greater Hyderabad limits, the competition for party ticket from the party leaders was high.

Many realtors and local entrepreneurs are also in the race for TRS tickets mainly in the commercially rich and the newly-created municipalities Manikonda, Ghatkesar, Adibatla , Bollaram, Gundapachampally, Pocharam, Medchal, Dammaigudem, Turkayumjal, Tumkunta.

All these municipalities were part of the GHMC before they were promoted as ULBs.

"Many influential Congress leaders joined TRS during the 2018 assembly elections eyeing Municipal Chairman posts in these areas.

It is a big task before the TRS to finalise the names of the candidates as the senior TRS leaders are not hesitating to fight the elections as rebels if the party did not allot ticket to them", a senior leader said.

The party is already facing internal squabbles with the ministers and local TRS leaders locked horns in the allotment of the party tickets in the municipal poll.

Former TRS MLA (Medchal) M Sudhir Reddy's open defiance against the state Labour Minister Ch Malla Reddy at the party's poll preparatory meeting gave enough hint that it will be a tough job for TRS leaders to pacify the rebels in the elections.

The fight between TRS senior leaders and the other party MLAs who joined TRS recently is also open in many assembly constituencies.

TRS leader and former MLA Veersham's supporters declared not to support the candidates selected by the local MLA Ch Lingaiah who joined the TRS soon after elected from the Congress.

The Telangana Congress is making all-out efforts to 'save their skin' by winning at least some municipalities. The Congress won majority ULBs in 2013 elections held before the bifurcation of the AP. After TRS won 2014 elections, 90 per cent of the Municipal Chairmen shifted loyalties to the Telangana party.

Leaders said that TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy is struggling hard to prepare a party strategy and give tough fight to TRS. TPCC working president A Revanth Reddy has already taken up poll campaign on his own.

TDP (Telangana president) L Ramana said that the state party executive resolved to fight the elections alone in the municipalities where the party is considered to have some strength.

After a debilitating defeat in the 2018 Assembly elections, the Telugu Desam stayed away from Lok Sabha elections and also recently held local body polls.

Ramana has claimed the TDP was still maintaining people's support in many urban areas mainly in Karimnagar, Warangal, Ranga Reddy and Mahbubhnagar districts. The party candidates will be finalised in consultation with the local leaders soon.

TJS president M Kodandaram also announced his decision to fight the elections without forging alliance with any party.

Jana Sena, which maintained distance from Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Telangana, has decided to stay away from the poll.