Independent corporator from Karimnagar 10th division, Sagani Komurayya, joined the BJP in Hyderabad on Thursday in the presence of party chief N. Ramchander Rao and Union MoS Bandi Sanjay Kumar. | Photo credit: RAMAKRISHNA G
Since winning eight Lok Sabha seats and later electing eight MLAs to the Assembly, expectations were high within the Telangana BJP ahead of the municipal polls. But the results proved to be a dampener for the party.
While the BJP did indeed win the Karimnagar Municipal Corporation and secure the mayor’s post in what its rivals say was a questionable maneuver, and opened its account in several new urban pockets, the party leadership was hoping for a much bigger performance after its poor showing in the recent Panchayat polls to gain momentum for the next assembly elections.
The party claims to have improved its vote share from 13% in the 2023 assembly elections to 15% now, indicating a gradual increase in its urban support. Its congregations grew from 240 in 2020 to around 340, making it the single largest party in more than 25 municipalities, compared to just two previously.
However, several leaders say the top management has created “unrealistic expectations” and “unnecessary hype”. They point to questionable selection of tickets, poor coordination between the state and local units, the disruptive role of rebels and MPs and MLAs being given a free hand. Some argue that mixing national issues and communal rhetoric with local development priorities is also hurting the party’s prospects.
“Most MPs and MLAs are not ideologically bound to the party. We are not sure about their agenda,” a senior leader remarked. This criticism gained weight when party leaders aligned themselves with either the BRS or the Congress in several municipalities – including Amangal, Isnapur, Jinnaram, Narsapur, Medak, Asifabad, Bhainsa and Khanapur – to secure or share posts such as mayor, deputy mayor, chairman or vice chairman.
State party president N. Ramchander Rao insists that the BJP has made significant gains in new regions despite what he claims was gerrymandering of departments by the state government.
“We are now a strong force in more than 25 municipalities, we won Karimnagar, became the largest party in Nizamabad Municipal Corporation and narrowly lost many constituencies to come second to Congress. Both Congress and BRS saw a decline in vote share. We did well in Adilabad, Narayanpet, Gadwal, Armoope, Mancherial, Metpalli and others. We also got significant votes in Parkalwar, Kothagudemtam. Bhupalapally,” he said.
Mr. Rao said decentralizing decision-making and giving autonomy to MPs and MLAs “worked”. He accused the ruling Congress of “misuse of official machinery, cronyism and money power” as well as other parties of “association” and claimed that the BJP would have won more seats otherwise.
He rejected allegations of supporting the BRS in Karimnagar and rejected allegations of communal campaigning, instead criticizing Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for “openly seeking minority votes”. “We respect all religions, but we are against the politics of appeasement. We have emphasized the need to remove fake votes in view of the unusual increase in minority votes in some areas,” he said.
Published – 19 Feb 2026 21:16 IST