Even as many leaders have
raised concerns about the organisation of the elections for the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation, Khammam Municipal Corporation and five municipalities in the midst of the raging Covid-19 pandemic in Telangana, and have slammed the State Election Commission for
releasing the schedule for the same, the TRS, the BJP and the Congress are already busy preparing for the upcoming electoral battle.
In fact, both the BJP and the Congress have already held their first preparatory meetings on the local body elections. Further, four hopefuls from various parties have filed their papers. On the other hand, TRS working president, IT Minister K T Rama Rao, has toured both Warangal and Khammam and has initiated several developmental works in the two towns.
However, it seems that the ruling party will need to work hard to win the elections.
Reports say that a total of 400 households that previously supported the TRS today attended a meeting convened by the Congress at Mamillagudem. At the meeting, chaired by CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, they expressed their inclination to support the Congress in the April 30 elections.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Vikramarka came down heavily on the pink party and Khammam MLA, state Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar, and alleged that they were trying to win the local body elections by using "money, liquor, and muscle power".
"Although Khammam has produced many great leaders, the current MLA of the constituency is unlike any of these previous leaders. The MLA has used his office only to develop the Mamata Medical, Nursing and Dental College of which he is chairman and has misused GOs 58 and 59 to regularise the encroached lands beside his college. Further, he regularly crushes dissent using police support. The power of public representatives is hardly to be used to file false cases against innocent people. After all this, the MLA and his party should not even be asking for votes for the upcoming elections," the leader charged.
Turning to the voters of the region, he said that the right to vote was an invaluable weapon as it allowed citizens to elect leaders who would work for them, and expressed his hope that the voters in Khammam would also support the party that would work to resolve their problems.
"The municipal corporation elections are a fight between a party which will spend money only to win the elections and our party, which will stand by you even after the elections. We will work to ensure the welfare and development of all. This commitment to the people of Telangana means that it is possible for them to lead happy lives only under the rule of the Congress. We hope you will cast your vote wisely," Vikramarka added.