Congress in dilemma as Khammam, Warangal civic bodies’ terms end

The terms of Khammam and Greater Warangal municipal corporations have ended, leaving Congress in a dilemma over holding elections. With corporators dissatisfied over stalled development works and flood‑related issues, BRS leaders are gearing up to highlight Congress’s failures.

Khammam/Warangal: With the term of Khammam Municipal Corporation (KMC) and Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) coming to an end, the ruling Congress party seems to have been caught up in a dilemma over holding elections to the urban local bodies.

The term of GWMC ended on Wednesday, during which the last general body meeting of the present municipal council chaired by Mayor Gundu Sudharani, was convened to give approval to works worth Rs 76 crore.

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Similarly the term of KMC is going to end on Thursday. The district Collectors of the respective districts would act as special officers for both the KMC and the GWMC until the elections are held.

BRS has won GWMC elections held in 2016 and 2021. After Congress came to power in 2023, Mayor Sudharani defected to Congress along with 30 corporators. It is being said the defected corporators are unhappy that they could not ensure development despite being associated with the ruling party for the past two years.

For instance, numerous residential colonies were inundated due to floods during monsoon last year. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who visited the city at that time promised to expand nalas and other measures to prevent inundation in the affected colonies.

But the proposed works have not yet taken place so far. In view of this the ruling party corporators are said to be disinterested to face the elections immediately fearing backlash from the public.

Former BRS MLA Dasyam Vinay Bhaskar stated that despite tall claims the Congress government has miserably failed to deliver its promises to develop the city. The BRS would expose the government’s failures in the GWMC elections, whenever they take place, he noted.

In Khammam, elections were held twice after the KMC was formed. BRS has won the Mayor’s both times. Incumbent Mayor P Neeraja after getting elected from BRS defected to Congress along with several corporators after Congress came to power.

Focusing on the next elections, former Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar has already started holding meetings with the corporators and ward level leaders to prepare them for the elections. However, not much enthusiasm is seen in the Congress party.

Except for the projects sanctioned during the BRS regime, Khammam MLA, Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao has failed to get any new project sanctioned for the city. The BRS cadres and the public are eager to teach a lesson to Congress in the next elections, Ajay Kumar noted.