'Where's Vote Theft Now?' BJP After Congress' Big Win In Telangana Local Body Polls

Two days after the results of the Telangana local body elections were declared, the political temperature in the state remains high. The polls were held on February 12, and elections to the posts of chairpersons, mayors and their deputies were completed on February 16, with voting in 11 municipalities postponed by the State Election Commission.

At the centre of the debate is a fresh charge from the BJP. 

BJP spokesperson Rachna Reddy has accused the Congress of "political hypocrisy" over what she calls selective outrage on alleged vote manipulation.

Referring to Congress leaders raising questions about "vote chori (vote theft)" after losing elections in several states.

"When they win, there is no vote chori. When they lose, they blame the system," she alleged.

She also claimed that the Congress government in Telangana has failed to fulfil its seven key promises and said local body elections are closely linked to fund allocation and development work. 

Despite the criticism, the numbers clearly show a massive victory for the Congress.

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, the Congress and its allies have won 86 chairperson and mayor posts and 84 deputy posts across the state. 

The BRS has secured 18 chairperson posts and 14 deputy posts. The BJP has won 2 mayor or chairperson posts and 5 deputy posts. 

Independents have taken 4 chairperson and 4 deputy posts. 

The CPI has won 1 mayor post, AIFB has secured 1 chairperson and 1 deputy post, CPM has won 1 deputy chairperson post, and AIMIM has secured 3 deputy mayor or vice-chairperson posts.

The Congress has clearly outperformed the BRS in most civic bodies. In municipal corporations, the Congress emerged dominant, while the BJP managed to win a corporation in Karimnagar.

The results are being seen as another consolidation of power by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. After leading the Congress to victory in the 2023 Assembly elections, he has continued to strengthen the party's hold at different levels from Assembly bypolls to Lok Sabha seats and now local bodies.

Interestingly, political circles are also discussing the Chief Minister's recent meeting with Rahul Gandhi. Revanth Reddy met Rahul Gandhi last week after the poll process was announced, signalling coordination between the state leadership and the central Congress leadership at a crucial political moment.

Now, even as the civic results settle in, the Chief Minister is shifting focus to the national stage. Revanth Reddy will be in the national capital for the next two days to attend the India AI Summit, where several top leaders and industry representatives are expected to participate. His presence there is also being seen as an attempt to position Telangana as a key player in the emerging AI and tech ecosystem.

For now, the Congress is celebrating a strong grassroots mandate. The BRS is struggling to regain ground. The BJP, meanwhile, is sharpening its attack, questioning both governance and political consistency.