Senior leaders lead campaign for Cong

Kothagudem: The Congress has stepped up efforts to capture the newly formed Kothagudem Municipal Corporation in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, deploying senior leaders and appointing special coordinators as the civic polls witness intense multi-cornered contests.

With an eye on winning control of the corporation, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) has appointed three coordinators to oversee campaign strategy and coordination among party leaders. Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy has already campaigned in the corporation limits, while Khammam MP Ramasahayam Raghuram Reddy has stationed himself in Kothagudem, playing a key role in candidate selection and election management.

The Kothagudem Municipal Corporation has emerged as a prestige issue for major political parties, witnessing a triangular contest among the Congress, CPI and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). The corporation consists of 60 divisions, with the Congress contesting in all divisions. The CPI, in alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), has fielded candidates in 59 divisions.

Though the Congress and CPI had jointly contested the recent Assembly elections, seat-sharing talks failed for the municipal polls, resulting in both parties taking on each other directly. CPI State Secretary Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao represents the Kothagudem Assembly constituency and had won the seat with Congress support in the Assembly elections.

The BRS, which earlier held power in the area before the formation of the municipal corporation, is also making an aggressive bid, with all three parties eyeing the post of the first mayor of the new civic body.

To address internal coordination issues within the Congress, the TPCC appointed Tulluri Brahmaiah, Balasani Lakshminarayana and S Jagadishwar Rao as special coordinators for the corporation elections.

Meanwhile, civic polls in Yellandu and Aswaraopeta municipalities are witnessing straight contests. In Yellandu, the Congress is facing the BRS-led alliance, which includes the CPI, CPM and Mass Line parties. In Aswaraopeta, the contest is between the Congress and the BRS, with the latter contesting in alliance with the TDP.

Election campaigning in all three urban local bodies has intensified, with parties holding corner meetings and door-to-door outreach as polling day approaches.