Hyderabad: Congress has begun groundwork to dominate Telangana’s upcoming local bodies election, aiming to capture a majority of Zilla and Mandal Parishad chairperson posts using its position in power and a string of welfare schemes.
With the party in office, state leaders see the polls as a test of strength and have started fine-tuning booth-level strategy. The party is pushing to repeat a long-standing trend where the ruling party sweeps local bodies.
The decision to reserve 42% of local body seats for Backward Classes is being pitched as a bold move. Congress leaders say the quota puts pressure on opposition parties, leaving little room to object.
Congress is also highlighting Telangana’s record as the first state to implement Scheduled Caste sub-categorisation, while pointing to the number of Dalit ministers and BC reservations as proof of delivery.
Welfare schemes are at the core of its campaign. Fast disbursal of Rythu Bharosa payments, loan waivers, free bus travel for women, ₹500 gas cylinders, and 200 units of free electricity to poor families will be pushed door to door. AICC and PCC have directed local leaders to complete the first round of publicity before the election notification.
Two private firms are conducting surveys on the party’s local strength, government performance, and candidate readiness. The data will guide changes in weak zones, party leaders said.
Congress won 64 of 119 assembly seats in 2023, along with a CPI ally and BJP defectors lending indirect support.
In seats without Congress MLAs, ministers and district in-charges have been tasked with leading campaigns. PCC has named state leaders as coordinators for each assembly and parliamentary segment.
State in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan has been told to resolve disputes, while KC Venugopal and Mallikarjun Kharge have directed the PCC to act against those fuelling factionalism.
