Congress-BJP nexus exposed in civic polls; BRS stalled despite majority mandate

Municipal chairperson elections across Telangana turned contentious as the Congress was accused of bending rules, leveraging administrative machinery and forging tactical understandings with the BJP to block the BRS from assuming office, even where it emerged as the single largest party

Hyderabad: In a series of dramatic and contentious municipal chairperson and vice-chairperson elections across Telangana on Monday, the ruling Congress was accused of bending rules, leveraging administrative machinery and, in several instances, joining hands with its arch rival, the BJP. All this to wrest control and prevent the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) from assuming office, even in municipalities where the latter emerged as the single largest party.

What unfolded across districts was not merely routine local body politics, but a calculated exercise in power consolidation. In civic bodies where the Congress lacked a clear majority, it reportedly forged alliance with the BJP and, in some cases, smaller parties, to alter outcomes.

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In Aliabad Municipality of Medchal-Malkajgiri district, a Congress candidate clinched the chairperson’s post with BJP backing after a fractured verdict. A similar arrangement played out in Narsapur of Medak district, where Congress secured both the chairperson and vice-chairperson posts with support from BJP and BSP members.

In Amangal Municipality, the optics were starker. Despite the BRS winning 8 of 15 wards enough to stake claim, the BJP’s support enabled the Congress to capture the chairperson’s seat, triggering allegations of a backdoor coalition designed solely to block the Opposition.

Sources indicated that an understanding between the Congress and the BJP operated in select municipalities, including Medak Municipal Corporation, Toopran, Narsapur and Metpally. In Zaheerabad and elsewhere, Congress reportedly relied on ex-officio votes and cross-party backing to neutralise BRS’ numerical advantage in elected wards.

The most controversial episodes, however, emerged in at least 11 municipalities where elections were postponed, officially citing lack of quorum. The BRS alleged that postponements were engineered where it was poised to assume office.

In Ibrahimpatnam, where the BRS emerged as the single largest party, tensions escalated after one of its councillors went missing ahead of the vote. Protests by family members led to clashes, and unidentified persons allegedly pelted stones at the municipal office. Police detained several Congress youth leaders on suspicion, though the ruling party denied wrongdoing.

In Jangaon, heated exchanges between Congress and BRS leaders ended in adjournment, with the BRS accusing the ruling party of deliberate disruption to stall proceedings.

Thorrur witnessed one of the most contentious contests. Though the BRS secured 9 of 16 wards, the tally was levelled through ex-officio votes. The registration of an additional ex-officio vote for Congress MP Kadiyam Kavya drew objections, with the BRS alleging procedural violations. Tensions mounted amid claims that its councillors were prevented from reaching the oath-taking venue. Heavy police deployment and prohibitory orders indicated the fraught atmosphere.

In Kyathanapally, police reportedly denied entry to vehicles carrying BRS councillors who staged a protest and the election was postponed. Alleging intimidation of BRS elected representatives for last two days, former MP Balka Suman shifted them to his residence to prevent alleged poaching attempts.

Ironically, even in municipalities such as Yellandu and Sultanabad, where the Congress had comfortable numbers, internal rivalries led to boycotts and postponements, exposing fissures within the ruling party.

Across districts, a discernible pattern emerged where arithmetic favoured the BRS, procedural hurdles surfaced and where numbers were tight, political adversaries like Congress and BJP closed ranks. Political observers noted that beyond the skirmishes of local arithmetic, the Congress deployed alignments and administrative leverage to ensure that municipal power does not slip into BRS hands, even if it was required to violate the public mandate.