Telangana’s local politics heated up in Karimnagar as five strategic defections to Congress on Sunday positioned the ruling party perilously close to snatching the municipal corporation’s mayoralty from BJP’s grasp.
Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and D. Sridhar Babu welcomed two AIFB councillors and three independents. The spotlight fell on Sai Jyoti, whose rapid shift from BJP (Friday) to Congress exposed the fragility of pre-poll pacts.
Seat breakdown in the 66-member council: BJP 30 (largest), Congress 14, BRS 9, AIMIM 3, independents 10. Mayor needs 34 votes including ex-officios. BJP’s edge came via MP Bandi Sanjay’s recruitment of four independents, hitting the mark with his vote.
Undeterred, Congress reversed one switch, clinched AIMIM, eyed BRS (total 26), then added five for 31—33 with ex-officio MLAs. Hunting that lone extra vote, they’ve bunkered down in a Hyderabad hotel.
BJP contends with déjà vu in Nizamabad, holding 28/60 divisions short of control. These defections signal a broader pattern in Telangana’s municipal showdowns, where last-minute maneuvers often dictate power.
Monday’s elections loom as a test of whip-smart strategy, with Karimnagar’s future leadership hanging by a thread.