In a significant political maneuver ahead of crucial urban local body elections, the ruling Congress party in Telangana has successfully executed 'Operation Akarsh,' leading to a mass defection of corporators from the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in the Khammam Municipal Corporation (KMC).
A Strategic Political Coup
The Congress has managed to attract a staggering 30 corporators from the BRS over the past two years, with the pace intensifying recently. In a dramatic two-day span this week, eight BRS corporators switched sides. The move was strategically timed ahead of a visit by BRS working president KT Rama Rao to Khammam on Wednesday.
Five corporators joined the Congress on Tuesday, followed by three more on Wednesday. The latter group formally crossed over in the presence of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, underscoring the high-stakes nature of this political operation for the ruling party.
Why Khammam is a Prestige Battle
Khammam is not just any municipal corporation; it is one of the largest and most politically significant in Telangana. Its importance for the Congress is magnified by the fact that three senior state ministers hail from the erstwhile Khammam district: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, and ministers Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Tummala Nageshwara Rao.
The KMC elections are scheduled for May this year. They are likely to be held concurrently with polls for 117 municipalities and six other municipal corporations, possibly as soon as next month. One of these six is Kothagudem, which was recently elevated from a municipality to a corporation.
Changing Equations in the Corporation
The political landscape of KMC has undergone a radical transformation since the last elections in April 2021. Back then, the BRS (then known as TRS) dominated by winning 43 out of 60 wards. The Congress managed only 10 seats, while the CPI and CPM won two each, and the BJP secured one. BRS candidate P Neeraja was elected Mayor.
However, the tide began to turn during and after the 2023 assembly elections. Followers of the three Congress ministers from the region started joining the party, boosting its strength in the corporation to 31. With the latest defections, the Congress's tally has increased further, dramatically altering the balance of power even before the official polls.
BRS leaders recall their stronger position in the 2016 municipal elections, where they won 34 seats. They also point out that in 2021, despite contesting 48 seats, the Congress could win only 10. A senior BRS leader from Khammam noted that the combined tally of Congress, CPM, and TDP was just 14 seats at that time.
Adding another layer to the upcoming contest, there is now a proposal to increase the number of wards in KMC from 60 to 65, which could influence electoral strategies and outcomes.
The aggressive 'Operation Akarsh' sets the stage for a fiercely contested municipal election in Khammam, with the Congress aiming to capitalize on its current momentum and the BRS fighting to reclaim its lost ground in a traditional stronghold.
