HYDERABAD: After putting up a tough fight, the BRS won about 27% of the municipal wards and divisions in the urban local bodies (ULBs). While the party swept 13 municipalities, it is likely to secure a few more with the support of independents and candidates from smaller parties. Of the 2,582 municipal wards, the BRS secured around 717. However, the party failed to make an impact in major municipal corporations such as Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Khammam and Kothagudem.In municipalities such as Sircilla, the assembly constituency of BRS working president KT Rama Rao, the party secured a clear majority, winning 27 of the 39 wards, while the Congress won 6 and the BJP secured 5. In the erstwhile Medak district, the party delivered an impressive performance, winning municipalities including Gummadidala, Gaddipotharam, Gajwel, Dubbak and Toopran. The party also hopes to seucre Jinnaram, Isnapur, Indresham and Zaheerabad with the support of independents. However, major municipalities such as Sadasivpet and Sangareddy went in favour of the Congress.Compared to north and central Telangana, the party’s performance was weaker, especially in Nalgonda district. In four municipalities—Dharmapuri, Kosgi, Maktal and Bhainsa—the party failed to win a single ward. Interestingly, in Kyathanpally municipality in Mancherial district, the party secured control of the civic body with the support of the CPI. In that municipality, the Congress won only 7 wards, while the BRS secured 10 and CPI-supported candidates won 5. The party is set to get the chairperson post.However, when the BRS was in power during the 2020 municipal elections,it won 122 of the 130 mayor and chairperson posts. “The current results show the BRS directly winning nearly 15 municipalities and emerging as the single largest party in around 10 to 15 additional municipalities where it holds decisive influence. Overall, the party views the results across 116 municipalities as positive and politically significant,” BRS working president KTR said.In a statement, former minister T Harish Rao said the BRS is likely to secure chairperson and mayor posts in 11 municipalities in the erstwhile Medak district, and efforts are underway to form the administration in another municipality with the support of independents. Except for Narayankhed, Andhole-Jogipet and Husnabad, which were won by the Congress, Harish Rao campaigned in all the constituencies.
