Alliance Talks Shift to Villages As Gram Panchayat Polls Near in Telangana
Village alliances shift as CPI, CPM, BRS and BJP plan different strategies
Nalgonda: District units of various political parties are working to forge alliances based on their respective strengths in the villages, aiming to consolidate their presence in rural areas.
The CPI State unit has conveyed its decision in principle to align with the Congress for the upcoming gram panchayat elections. However, the CPI’s village-level units, not taking this directive seriously, have begun forming local alliances with the BRS.
With gram panchayat elections being held separately from the ZPTC and MPTC polls, party units appear less confident about adhering to formal agreements and understandings. The BRS has agreed to support CPI candidates in certain gram panchayats on the condition that it receives CPI support for its candidates in the upcoming MPTC elections in the same villages.
For instance, the BRS has accepted the CPI’s request to support its candidate in the sarpanch election of Gurampally village in Chityal mandal of Nalgonda district. In return, it has sought CPI backing for its MPTC candidate. The CPI district unit plans to field a significant number of candidates in the GP elections in Devarakonda and Munugode Assembly constituencies.
CPI leader J. Yadaiah said that holding sarpanch and MPTC elections separately has complicated alliance-building. He added that the party would certainly field candidates in gram panchayats where it has a strong presence.
In Suryapet district, the CPM has decided to contest elections in 230 gram panchayats, around 50 per cent of the total in the district. The party will decide on supporting candidates of other parties based on local conditions.
CPM leader P. Narsaiah said that, of the 869 gram panchayats in Nalgonda district, the party will field its own candidates in 100. In the remaining panchayats, CPM will support candidates of ideologically aligned parties, except the BJP.
Meanwhile, the BJP district unit has decided to contest the gram panchayat elections without forming any alliances.
