BRS Wins Kothanapalli, Ibrahimpatnam Civic Posts as Khanapur Poll Deferred Again

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) secured the chairperson posts in the Kothanapalli and Ibrahimpatnam municipalities in Telangana during elections held on Saturday. Polls to 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations across the state were conducted on February 11 , but elections in these two municipalities were deferred due to a hung outcome and other reasons.

In Kothanapalli municipality of Mancherial district , G. Sandhya Rani of the BRS was elected as Chairperson , while M. Saritha of the CPI was elected as Vice-Chairperson . The Congress members boycotted the election, making the BRS victory easier. The Kothanapalli polls had earlier drawn statewide attention following a stone-pelting incident on February 18 , in which former BRS MLA Balka Suman was arrested. He was taken into custody over allegations of an attack on the convoy of Minister G. Vivek Venkataswamy and was later released on bail.

In Ibrahimpatnam municipality of Rangareddy district , BRS candidate Tekula Sudarshan Reddy was elected as Chairperson . Here too, the Congress councillors boycotted the election, benefiting the BRS.

Meanwhile, the Khanapur municipal chairman election in Nirmal district has been deferred once again . Officials took the decision following disputes and arguments triggered by party defections and affiliations among some councillors.

Statewide, in the recently held municipal elections, the ruling Congress has so far won Mayor and Chairperson posts in five municipal corporations and 89 municipalities , while the BRS is striving to retain its strongholds.

“This is a victory for democracy… a check on Congress excesses”: KTR

Reacting to the results, K. T. Rama Rao (KTR) said it was heartening that the BRS secured the Kothanapalli and Ibrahimpatnam posts despite what he described as “excesses” and inducements by the ruling Congress. He congratulated party workers, including district president Balka Suman and Manchireddy Kishan Reddy , for their efforts.

He particularly praised the CPI , the alliance partner in Kothanapalli, calling its performance inspiring . “This verdict has made it clear that there is no place for repression or intimidation in Telangana,” he said.

KTR further alleged that the Congress government had accumulated significant public discontent within just two-and-a-half years , and claimed that the results indicate a countdown has begun for the Revanth Reddy government in the public arena . He also lauded the councillors who stood united despite challenges and assured that the party would continue to support its cadre.