Hyderabad: Ending four days of intense political suspense, the BJP clinched the mayor’s post in Karimnagar, turning a closely watched municipal contest into a symbolic victory in a region long seen as a battleground with the ruling Congress and BRS. The result followed last-minute manoeuvring, failed alliance arithmetic and the BRS decision to abstain — a move that ultimately cleared the path for the BJP.With 30 seats in the municipal polls, the BJP had led the race from the outset but still fell short of an outright majority. Tensions escalated after minister Ponnam Prabhakar signalled Congress’s bid for the post. Without support from Congress, AIMIM and independents, the ruling party needed BRS backing — a possibility that kept the contest on edge until the final hours. The deadlock broke when BRS announced it would abstain from voting. In the corporation’s 69-member electoral college, BJP candidate Kolagani Srinivas secured 34 votes to become mayor, while Sunil Rao was elected deputy mayor. Despite the BJP’s numerical advantage, Congress made a late push to wrest the post, with chief minister Revanth Reddy reportedly tasking ministers Sridhar Babu, Ponnam and Tummala Nageswara Rao to ensure the party’s victory. Efforts to secure support from other parties added to the uncertainty. Gangula consultedBJP leaders alleged that Sridhar Babu and Ponnam held talks with former minister BRS MLA Gangula Kamalakar and another corporator who later shifted to Congress. “However, Congress faced internal dissent regarding the candidate, Komarayya, as other names emerged. Meanwhile, BRS corporators rebelled against Gangula’s perceived alignment with Congress, leading to intervention from BRS senior leaders KT Rama Rao and T Harish Rao,” a BJP leader from Karimnagar said.Karimnagar MP and Union minister of state for home Bandi Sanjay criticised what he called conspiracies by Congress and BRS and urged corporators to prioritise development. Ultimately, corporators elected Kolagani, a long-time ABVP activist, as mayor, marking a significant political gain for the BJP in north Telangana.
