The Aryavarth Express
Agency (Telangana): The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has faced significant setbacks in Telangana, losing about 15 municipal chairperson posts and several vice-chairperson positions to the ruling Congress party. This shift results from a series of no-confidence motions and resignations since the Congress came to power six months ago, as reported by official sources on May 28.
The wave of no-confidence motions has been unprecedented, with the Congress securing leadership positions in various urban local bodies, potentially strengthening its influence in urban areas. The BRS, formerly known as the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), had a dominant performance in the 2020 municipal elections, winning 107 out of 120 municipalities.
A major blow to the BRS occurred in the state capital when Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Mayor Vijaya Laxmi R. Gadwal and her deputy Mothe Srilatha Shoban Reddy resigned from BRS and joined the Congress two months ago. Vijaya Laxmi R. Gadwal’s defection was significant, given her father K. Keshav Rao, a former BRS Rajya Sabha member and the party’s secretary general, also returned to the Congress.
The no-confidence motions against BRS chairpersons began in February, starting with Burri Srinivas Reddy of Congress being elected as chairperson of Nalgonda municipality. The Congress has also secured vice-chairperson posts in several municipalities following these no-confidence votes against BRS leaders. Despite these setbacks, the BRS has managed to retain some chairperson and vice-chairperson positions in other municipalities after trust votes.
Currently, Telangana has 129 municipalities and 13 municipal corporations, including GHMC. The municipal elections are scheduled to be held in January 2025, which will be a critical test for the BRS as it attempts to regain its footing and counter the rising influence of the Congress in the state’s urban political landscape.