BJP Is Eyeing 5 Out Of 7 Corporations, Going With Internal Survey Report To Chalk Out Poll Strategy, High Command Deputes 3 Core Committee Members To Oversee Polls
BJP state president N. Ramchander Rao has appointed in-charges for all municipalities and corporations: Reports
HYDERABAD: The BJP central leadership has deployed three core committee members to oversee candidate selection and campaign strategies for the upcoming civic polls, indicating the seriousness of the party’s approach. The party has conducted an internal survey and is allocating tickets based on candidates' winnability.
BJP state president N. Ramchander Rao has appointed in-charges for all municipalities and corporations. Up for grabs are 414 wards across seven municipal corporations as well as 2,582 wards in 116 municipalities.
Rao stated that the party had set a “realistic target” of winning 60 per cent of seats across municipalities and corporations and identified the Congress as its primary rival. Citing positive signals from the field, he added that voters had recognised the BRS's decade-long "corrupt family rule" and Congress's failures over two years. "Congress and BRS rely solely on minority vote banks," he remarked.
One of the big targets of the BJP is Nizamabad, where it won 28 of 60 seats in the last polls. The BRS had finished third with 13 wards, but formed the council with the support of the MIM which had won 16 wards, and ex-officio members like MLAs and MPs. The party aims for a two-thirds majority, led by MP Arvind Dharmapuri.
The party is focusing on the Karimnagar Municipal Corporation; home of Union minister and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar is highlighting the ₹479 crore in central assistance secured for the city under the Smart Cities Mission. The BJP had won 13 of 66 wards.
Ramchander Rao is giving special attention to Nalgonda, where his native village Bandagudem is located in the erstwhile united district. The BJP is approaching the sensitive town strategically, recalling its 1995 municipal chairman victory. The party had secured 6 of the 48 wards the last time.
At Mahbubnagar, where it had won six wards, MP D.K. Aruna is targeting 40 of the 60 wards in the corporation.
In Ramagundam too, the BJP won 6 of 60 wards last time and now aims to put up a meaningful fight. It plans to contest all 60 wards in the newly formed Kothagudem Municipal Corporation, after failing to make an impact previously. In the new Mancherial corporation, the party has pockets of support and is planning to attract prominent personalities and dissidents from rival parties to its side.
Union minister G. Kishan Reddy’s recent tour to the Singareni headquarters, following the controversy over the cancellation of a coal block tender, and held a public meeting to connect with coal workers who hold the key in three corporations in the area.
