Hyderabad: With no clear winners in many urban local bodies, Telangana’s political battlefield has swiftly shifted from counting centres to closed-door negotiations. A fractured verdict in 37 municipalities and corporations has triggered intense backroom manoeuvring, as parties scramble to line up independents and rebels to clinch chairperson and mayor posts.A day after the municipal election results threw up a split mandate, major political parties turned their focus to independents and dissidents to bridge the numbers gap. Some smaller parties pledged their support to the Congress without formally joining it, underscoring the fluid political equations now in play. In Bellampally, independent councillors Shankar Singh and Kumara Swamy joined the BRS in the presence of BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Saturday. Another councillor from the town, Ramulu, extended support to the BRS for the municipal chairperson post. The BJP, meanwhile, secured the backing of four independent candidates and one rebel for the Karimnagar mayoral election. In Kagaznagar, Isnapur and other municipalities, several independents assured support to the BRS, strengthening its prospects in closely contested councils.Support to Cong assuredIn Waddepally municipality in Jogulamba Gadwal district, eight elected ward members of the All India Forward Bloc met chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday evening and sought development of the urban local body. They reportedly assured support to the Congress in the municipality but clarified they would not join the party. Of the 10 wards in Waddepally, eight were won by the All India Forward Bloc, while Congress and BRS secured one each — making the bloc the decisive force. Rebel candidates are also emerging as key players. In Suryapet, six Congress rebels contested as independents after being denied tickets; three did so in Kodad, two in Huzurabad and three in Kamareddy. They are set to join the ruling party. In several divisions and wards, official nominees lost while rival party candidates emerged victorious in places such as Karimnagar, Jangaon and Banswada, further complicating post-poll arithmetic. Sent back from campsAmid the scramble, Congress, BJP and BRS shifted their councillors and corporators to camps on Friday night, with some housed in farmhouses near Hyderabad. They are expected to be brought to the respective municipal headquarters on Feb 16 for the elections to chairperson, deputy chairperson, mayor and deputy mayor posts.In municipalities where parties secured an absolute majority — such as Suryapet — some corporators were sent back from camps after counting concluded.With numbers tight and loyalties in flux, the battle for urban power has entered its most decisive phase.
