BRS-led civic bodies fall in Congress kitty

Hyderabad: Ever since the Congress government came to power in Telangana in December 2023, the BRS has been losing several civic body chief posts. So far, about 15 municipal chairperson posts and over half a dozen municipal vice-chairperson posts went to the Congress party following record number of no-confidence motions moved against them.

According to official sources, the Congress party bagging the posts of chiefs of Urban Local Bodies is said to have helped the ruling party in the urban areas and it is likely that it could have had some impact in the recently held Lok Sabha elections.

It may be recalled that the BRS had swept the municipal elections held in the state in 2020, winning 107 out of 120 municipalities. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Mayor Vijayalaxmi R Gadwal was among the first to switch over to Congress and her deputy Mothe Srilatha Shoban Reddy had quit BRS and joined Congress about two months back. Her father K Keshav Rao, who was BRS Rajya Sabha member and party's Secretary General, had also returned to the Congress fold.

The series of no-confidence motions began in February this year with Burri Srinivas Reddy of Congress getting elected as chairperson of Nalgonda municipality. The Congress secured the posts of vice-chairperson as well in several municipalities following no-confidence motions against sitting BRS leaders. The municipal elections are due to be held in January 2025.