Civic elections: TRS' victory march goes unchallenged

Hyderabad: Continuing its winning streak, the ruling TRS achieved a mega “teenmaar” victory in the civic elections for Greater Warangal and Khammam corporations and Achampet Nagara Panchayat. While the party won all the 20 seats in the Achampet municipality in Mahbubnagar district, it bagged the Warangal and Khammam Municipal Corporations with thumping majorities and will have its own mayors.

This is the first time that the TRS has won the Khammam Municipal Corporation while in Achampet, the “mahakutami” comprising the Opposition parties (Congress, TD and BJP) was a failure. Telugu Desam was totally wiped out in Greater Warangal and Khammam Corporations, sounding the death knell for the party in the Telangana state political arena, at least for the present.

An elated Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao thanked the people of Warangal, Khammam corporations and the Achampet Nagara Panchayat for electing TRS. “People have blessed the welfare and developmental schemes of the TRS government. I compliment all those who ensured victory for the party. I will implement the promises made to the people. I also compliment the winning corporators and councilors,” said Mr Chandrasekhar Rao.

Roads and buildings minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, MLC Palla Rajeshwara Reddy and others met Mr Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday. Of the 58 municipal divisions in Greater Warangal, TRS won 44, others (mostly TRS rebels) nine, Congress four, BJP one and TD none.

Though the Opposition parties could not compete with the TRS, the ruling party's' nearest rivals were the Independent candidates. While the Congress won in four divisions, the BJP and CPM managed victories in one division each. But it was the rebels who set the TRS back by eight divisions. Minister T. Harish Rao, who headed the party's election campaign in Warangal had said the TRS would win in at least 50 divisions. But the rebels dented the party's vote share.

After being denied TRS tickets, these candidates filed their nominations independently. B. Kavitha (division 4), N. Swarnalatha (division 13), Sharadha Joshi (division 15), B. Srilekha (division 35), S. Sunil Kumar (division 46), G. Raju (division 54), K. Sarotham Reddy (division 55) and N. Jhansi Lakshmi (division 56), defeated the TRS official candidates by close margins. In many other divisions too, rebels gave tough competition to the TRS candidates who won by only a few votes.

The TRS had expelled over 30 members for filing nominations against the party's official candidates. With the rebels winning in eight wards, it is to be seen if the party takes them back into its fold or not. In the Khammam, a Left stronghold where the TRS was weak, voters showed their faith in the leadership of Mr Chandrasekhar Rao and gave him 34 seats and the mayoral post.

Of the 50 divisions, TRS won 34, Congress 10, CPI two, CPM two, YSRC two and TD zero. Unlike other places, Congress, Left parties and YSRC made their presence felt while the TD was flushed out. The victory comes as yet another shot-in-the-arm to the CM after successfully signing the accord with Maharashtra over sharing of Godavari waters and ahead of the Budget session of the Assembly beginning Thursday.