Saffron surge dents TRS success juggernaut

Hyderabad: Despite winning a majority of municipalities in the beginning of the year, the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi had to face a jolt from the Bharatiya Janata Party in the form Dubbaka defeat and its dismal performance in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections.

The TRS started the year 2020 on a positive note by winning the municipal elections held in January. The elections were held for 120 municipalities and 10 corporations where the ruling party won majority of them. Party chief K Chandrashekar Rao had entrusted the responsibility to the Ministers and MLAs to make sure the party-supported candidates win the elections. He had in fact warned them that they would be axed if the performance was not good.

The party went to municipal elections with a plan as the Chief Minister gave details of the government schemes to the MLAs and asked them to contact the beneficiaries reminding them about the benefits they were getting. The Chief Minister did not contest and entrusted the responsibility to the cadre. The TRS had won 109 out of the 120 municipalities.

The year saw demand from the party leaders to make the party's working president KT Rama Rao as the Chief Minister. However, KCR turning down the demand said, "I have said in the Assembly that I will be the Chief Minister. Don't you like me as the Chief Minister? I will get down if you don't want me to continue," said KCR, in a cheery reply to a reporter.

The party gave re-nominated party's secretary general K Keshava Rao for Rajya Sabha and also gave the opportunity to former Speaker of undivided Andhra Pradesh KR Suresh Reddy. At same time, Kavitha filed nomination papers for MLC seat from Nizamabad Local Authorities Constituency in March. Political activity came to a standstill in the State because of the lockdown imposed due to corona pandemic. The party cancelled the grand celebrations of the Formation Day and asked the leaders to do social service following the social distancing norm. Party wanted to have grand celebrations of 20th anniversary, but had to do it away as a simple affair because of corona.

Several party leaders, including Ministers were affected with corona. At least half a dozen Ministers, MLAs and others were affected with the virus.

The GHMC elections during the end of the year saw intense battle between the TRS and the BJP. While the TRS chief KCR, working president KT Rama Rao and all the MLAs were in the field, the BJP brought the Union Ministers and Chief Ministers of other States to campaign in Hyderabad.