All eyes on civic elections in Khammam and Warangal

HYDERABAD: After the polls to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, all eyes are now on the Khammam and Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) elections. The elected bodies in these two civic bodies will complete their term in March 2021.
After the rise of BJP in GHMC polls, there is curiosity in political circles whether TRS president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will go for polls to the two local bodies early or later.
Even the delimitation of wards in GWMC is pending. Presently, there are 58 wards with population varying from nearly 16,000 to 12,000 in various wards. The state government, on the directions of the high court, had agreed to go for delimitation.
TRS MLA from Warangal East Nannapuneni Narendar told TOI that the number of wards are expected to increase from the existing 58 to at least 66 after the delimitation exercise.
Subsequently, reservation of wards would be finalised. “All this exercise can be completed in 15 days to one month’s time. I don’t think there will be any delay in conduct of elections due to delimitation of wards,” he said.
State election commissioner C Partha Sarathi said as per the Municipal Corporations Act, they will decide the poll dates in consultation with the state government.
The continuous heavy rains that resulted in flooding of several colonies in Warangal corporation area in July and August are likely to play a crucial role in the ensuing elections to the civic body. “TRS government has to be blamed for the flooding of colonies. The government has allowed encroachment of lakebeds and did not remove them despite being brought to its notice,” said BJP Warangal urban district president Rao Padma.
The BJP is confident of bagging the mayor’s seat in GWMC this time although it had managed to win only one of the 58 wards in 2016 polls.
“The BJP is day-reaming of a good performance in GWMC. Though the saffron party leaders, including Union minister Kishan Reddy, have started visiting Warangal, the TRS will sweep the polls,” said TRS corporator V Bikshapathi.