Despite having four MLAs, BJP loses ground in erstwhile Adilabad civic polls

The BJP, despite holding four Assembly seats in the erstwhile Adilabad district, failed to secure majorities in the recent municipal elections. Congress, AIMIM and independents now hold the balance of power.

Adilabad: Despite its tall claims of an encouraging performance in the municipal elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has lost ground in Nirmal, Bhainsa, Kagaznagar and Adilabad municipalities, even as the party has four MLAs in erstwhile Adilabad.

The BJP had won Adilabad, Nirmal, Mudhole and Sirpur (T) Assembly constituencies in the 2023 Assembly elections and emerged as the second largest force after the Congress in the erstwhile Adilabad district.

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It had secured a vote share of 27 percent as against the 9 percent in the 2018 polls. In an attempt to continue the winning streak in the municipal elections held on February 11, the party campaigned by bringing in Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Kagaznagar, while Union minister G Kishan Reddy canvassed in Nirmal municipality.

They had promised to develop the civic bodies with the help of funds granted by the Union government and to bolster infrastructure in these municipalities.

However, the BJP could not win an absolute majority in any of the four municipalities. It had to be content with one ward in the 42-member Nirmal municipality. It was confined to six wards of the 22-member communally sensitive Bhainsa municipality when compared to nine achieved in 2020. It stood in the third spot with five wards in the 30-member Kagazhnagar municipality.

The party could not reach the mandatory figure of 26 in the 49-member Adilabad municipality even as it became the largest force with 21 wards. It is in dire need of support from independents who won in five wards.

The Congress won 11 wards and is planning to join hands with the AIMIM, which won six, by poaching the independents. The BRS had won six wards.

Meanwhile, the saffron party managed to open its account in Mancherial Municipal Corporation with five wards, but ended up in third place.