Hyderabad: Eyeing Khammam, one of the largest and most politically significant municipal corporations in Telangana, the ruling Congress has launched ‘Operation Akarsh' by poaching a majority of BRS corporators. As many as 30 corporators switched to the ruling party over the past two years, including eight in the last two days. While five BRS corporators from Khammam joined the Congress on Tuesday, three more crossed over on Wednesday in the presence of chief minister A Revanth Reddy.
Sources in the Congress said the Khammam Municipal Corporation (KMC) is a crucial and prestigious body for the ruling party, given that three ministers, including deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Tummala Nageshwara Rao, represent the erstwhile district.
The KMC elections are due in May this year, and the Congress is likely to conduct them along with elections to 117 municipalities and six other municipal corporation, likely to be held next month. The six corporations also include Kothagudem, which was elevated to the corporation level from a municipality.
In the previous KMC elections held in April 2021, out of 60 wards, the BRS (then TRS) secured 43 seats, the Congress won 10, CPI and CPM won two each, and the BJP bagged one. BRS candidate P Neeraja was elected Mayor. Later, during and after the 2023 assembly elections, several followers of ministers Tummala Nageshwara Rao, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, and Bhatti Vikramarka joined the Congress, increasing the party's strength in the corporation to 31. In the past two days, eight more corporators have defected to the ruling party.
Congress leaders have fast-tracked the induction of BRS corporators ahead of BRS working president KT Rama Rao's visit to Khammam on Wednesday, as the party gears up for the municipal elections. According to BRS leaders, the party had won 34 out of 60 seats in the 2016 municipal elections. There is now a proposal to increase the number of wards in KMC from 60 to 65. "In the previous elections, Congress, CPM and TDP put together secured only 14 of the 60 seats. Though the Congress contested 48 seats, it could win just 10," a senior BRS leader from Khammam said.
Koride Mahesh has been working with the Times of India, Hyderabad...
Read MoreKoride Mahesh has been working with the Times of India, Hyderabad for over two decades. He is currently senior assistant editor of TOI, Hyderabad. He holds PhD (doctorate) in Journalism and has a total of 32 years of experience in print journalism. He extensively writes on urban infrastructure, projects, civic issues, real estate market, land issues, energy, irrigation and state govt administration in Telangana. He also covers state political developments, especially BRS
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