BRS trains focus on rural strongholds, gears up cadre for local body polls

With internal surveys showing favourable ground, former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and senior leaders are directing strategies, targeting Congress’ shortcomings

Hyderabad: With local body polls inching closer, the BRS is shifting gears to win at least half of the Mandal Parishads and Zilla Parishads in the State, banking heavily on its rural strongholds to stage a political comeback.

Party chief and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, who has remained at his Nandinagar residence, has been holding discussions with senior party leaders to assess ground-level conditions and devise strategies for the elections. He is said to have directed party leaders to consolidate the BRS base across rural Telangana.

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Recent internal surveys suggest the BRS remains the frontrunner in rural Telangana, with projections indicating the party could win 16-18 Zilla Parishads. Party sources said the aim was to secure at least 17 of the State’s 31 ZPs and no less than half of the 566 Mandal Parishads.

Senior leaders have been appointed as district in-charges and tasked with working closely alongside district unit presidents. While all levels of party leadership will campaign, Chandrashekhar Rao is personally monitoring election preparations.

BRS working president KT Rama Rao and senior leader T Harish Rao are coordinating daily with district units, senior leaders, and affiliated organisations via teleconferences and video briefings.

The duo is also involved in framing micro-level strategies to secure a majority in local bodies. Over the last two weeks, the party has been conducting cadre workshops and training sessions to fine-tune poll preparedness.

The campaign narrative focuses on the BRS government’s achievements over the past 10 years and highlights the Congress’ alleged failure to deliver on its six guarantees and 420 poll promises made over the last 20 months.

Leaders have been instructed to engage directly with farmers and question why they should support the Congress, citing stagnation under its current rule. The leadership has stressed the need to remind voters of the progress made during the BRS decade and the party’s commitment to safeguarding farmer interests.