Funding woes and delimitation concerns leave Congress MLAs uneasy

Several Congress MLAs in Telangana are reportedly concerned about inadequate funding for development works and the potential impact of constituency delimitation. The uncertainty has made many legislators cautious, despite Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s confidence about the party remaining in power

Hyderabad: Despite Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s repeated assertions that the Congress will remain in power in Telangana until 2034, many legislators within the party seem unconvinced.

Over the past 30 months, the Congress government has grappled with financial, administrative and political challenges. While the Chief Minister continues to project confidence about the party’s future, several MLAs are increasingly concerned about issues affecting their political prospects and constituency development.

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The foremost concern is the lack of adequate funding for welfare and development works. Several Congress MLAs have, on different occasions, openly acknowledged the difficulties they face in securing funds for projects in their constituencies.

As a result, many development works have either slowed down or remain pending, drawing criticism from local residents. Though legislators continue to express hope that the government will eventually release the funds required, the State’s financial constraints have made that expectation uncertain.

Another issue weighing heavily on Congress MLAs is the prospect of constituency delimitation.

Speaking at a public meeting in Miyapur last week, Revanth Reddy said the Serilingampally Assembly constituency could eventually be divided into five or six constituencies. He assured party leaders that the increase in seats would create more opportunities for electoral tickets.

The Chief Minister also stated that constituencies such as Serilingampally, Qutbullapur and Kukatpally could be reorganised into nearly 10 Assembly segments in the future. This was not the first time the Chief Minister had made such assertions. However, they have definitely triggered concerns among some MLAs.

Many legislators are reportedly adopting a cautious approach towards major development initiatives and political investments in their constituencies.

Their concern stems from the possibility that delimitation could alter constituency boundaries, resulting in areas where they have invested time, resources and political capital being merged with neighbouring segments. If that happens, the benefits of their efforts could accrue to another constituency and potentially another candidate.

With uncertainty surrounding both constituency boundaries and the availability of funds, several development works are facing delays. These twin concerns have left many Congress legislators cautious about the future, even as the party leadership projects confidence about retaining power for another term.