In a significant political move, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is gearing up for an extensive tour across the state's districts in the first week of February. This tour is strategically timed to coincide with the crucial campaigning period for the upcoming elections to numerous municipalities and municipal corporations.
Davos Diplomacy and Domestic Campaign Trail
Before hitting the campaign trail at home, the Chief Minister will embark on a high-profile international engagement. CM Revanth Reddy is scheduled to lead a state delegation to the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meetings in Davos from January 19 to 23. The delegation is expected to include key ministers like IT and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu and Revenue and Housing Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, alongside senior officials from relevant departments.
Upon his return from the global summit, the Chief Minister's focus will shift to the grassroots political landscape. His February tour is designed to cover areas outside the jurisdiction of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the 27 urban local bodies merged with it. During this tour, he is expected to lay foundation stones for new projects, inaugurate completed development works, and address public meetings to connect with voters.
Municipal Elections on the Horizon
The backdrop of the CM's tour is the imminent notification for municipal elections across Telangana. The state election commission has set a deadline of January 10 for officials to publish the final voters' lists in municipalities, signaling advanced preparations. Sources indicate that the poll notification for nearly 120 municipalities and municipal corporations could be issued by the end of January, with the elections themselves likely to be held in mid-February.
Echoing this timeline, SC and ST Welfare Minister Adluri Laxman stated on Friday that the possibility of the election notification being released by month-end cannot be ruled out. The elections will not include the GHMC and its merged ULBs.
Congress Confidence and Upcoming Electoral Decisions
The ruling Congress party appears to be in a confident mood regarding these local body polls. A senior Congress leader attributed this positivity to the party's recent success in the Jubilee Hills by-election and subsequent victories in sarpanch and ward member elections for gram panchayats. This momentum has encouraged the state leadership to proceed with the municipal elections.
Furthermore, the state government is also poised to make a decision soon regarding the elections for Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTC) and Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTC), which would complete the cycle of local body polls in Telangana.
