Hyderabad: 6 MPs face acid test in civic polls

Hyderabad: Elections to the urban local bodies will be a litmus test for first-time MPs from the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party to prove their control over their respective Lok Sabha constituencies. There is also another target in the short term. Two Congress MPs and two from the BJP are aiming to become the state unit president of their respective parties. Victory in the civic polls will be crucial to cement their bids.

There are six such MPs:  Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president B. Uttam Kumar Reddy (Nalgonda), Komatireddy Venkat Reddy (Bhongir) and A. Revanth Reddy (Malkajgiri) from the Congress and from the BJP, Dharmapuri Aravind (Nizamabad), Soyam Bapu Rao (Adilabad) and Bandi Sanjay Kumar (Karimnagar).

In the ensuing civic polls, it will be clear whether these MPs have continued to maintain their sway. Among them, Uttam Kumar Reddy has lost the Huzurnagar seat which he was representing and from where his wife, N. Padmavati, contested. It is essential for the MPs to ensure that a majority of civic bodies in their constituencies vote for their party which will be of immense help in the subsequent elections.

Revanth Reddy and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy are in the race for the TPCC president’s post. If they want to attract the notice of the party high command, they must ensure victory in the municipal polls in their segments. Uttam Kumar Reddy has nine civic bodies — Kodad, Suryapet, Huzurnagar, Nereducharla, Nalgonda, Miryalguda, Nandikonda, Thirumalgiri  and Halia, Venkat Reddy’s constituency has Bhongir, Mothkur, Choutuppal, Alair, Pochampally, Yadagirigutta, Chityal and Chandur municipalities.

Revanth Reddy has a large number of civic bodies: Boduppal, Peerzadiguda, Nizampet and Jawaharnagar municipal corporations which are newly constituted and Medchal, Dammaiguda, Nagaram, Pocharam, Ghatkesar, Gundla Pochampally, Thumkunta, Dundigal and Kompally.

In the BJP ranks, Mr Dharmapuri Aravind, who defeated TRS candidate K. Kavitha, the then sitting MP and Chief Minister, K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s, daughter, has to win the Nizamabad Municipal Corporation and Bodhan, Armoor, Bhimgal, Jagtial, Korutla, Metpally and Raikal.  He is facing some pressure on the Turmeric Board issue.

To stay in the contention for the TS, BJP president’s post-Karimnagar MP, Bandi Sanjay, will have to win the Karimnagar Municipal Corporation and Jammikunta, Huzurabad, Choppadandi, Kothapalli, Sircilla and Vemulawada municipalities for his party.