Bhatti, Ponguleti: Urban Voters Reposed Faith in Cong Govt

Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said urban voters across Telangana have delivered a decisive mandate in favour of the Congress, reflecting their confidence in the welfare and development initiatives undertaken by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy government since it assumed office in December 2023.

Addressing a joint press conference at Gandhi Bhavan here on Friday, they stated that the results demonstrated strong public trust in governance and a clear rejection of “false propaganda” by the opposition BRS and the BJP. They added that voters were closely observing political developments and have responded with a considered verdict.

Bhatti said the Congress had won 83 municipalities and five municipal corporations so far, and the tally was expected to rise in places where results were initially hung. Of the 116 municipalities, the party is likely to secure between 90 and 94.

Elections were held to seven corporations, with Congress achieving a clear majority in five, while the remaining two witnessed a close contest involving Congress, the BJP and Independent candidates. He described the outcome as particularly significant, noting that the party has secured such a large number of municipal seats after nearly two decades.

Bhatti said the electorate had delivered its judgment after assessing both the government’s performance and the criticism levelled by the Opposition. With the clear mandate from urban voters, he assured that the government would continue to function with greater responsibility and uphold high standards of governance. He pointed out that the public has consistently endorsed the Congress in successive elections, including the Parliament polls, the Secunderabad Cantonment and Jubilee Hills byelections, and the subsequent Panchayat elections.

Urging opposition parties to act responsibly, Bhatti said a healthy democratic system requires a constructive opposition, not campaigns driven by misinformation for media attention.

Minister Srinivas Reddy said that in every election held since the formation of the Congress government under Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, the Congress had emerged victorious. The latest municipal results, he said, were a clear referendum on the two-year performance of what he termed the “Indiramma government.” From Parliament elections to the Cantonment and Jubilee Hills by-elections and the Panchayat polls, the party’s winning streak has continued.

He said the municipal verdict proved that urban voters, like their rural counterparts, were satisfied with the Congress government’s work. Despite being in power for a decade, the BRS had failed to mount an effective challenge, which he termed a reflection of its shortcomings. He added that attempts to divide people along caste, religion and regional lines were rejected by the electorate, who instead reinforced their support for the Chief Minister’s leadership.