Congress tally rises to 93 as polls postponed in Kyathanpally, Khanapur, Ibrahimpatnam amid tensions

For the second consecutive day, tensions and minor skirmishes marked the civic polls in Telangana, with elections to Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson posts in Kyathanapally, Khanapur and Ibrahimpatnam deferred again on Tuesday, even as eight other municipalities went ahead with voting.

The ruling Congress further consolidated its lead, adding seven more chairperson positions and taking its overall count to 93 municipalities across the State, while the BRS managed to secure just one. Luck also favoured the Congress, which secured the Jangaon and Thorrur municipalities through a draw of lots.

The Congress won Yellandu, Sultanabad, Kaghaznagar, Zaheerabad, Dornakal, Jangaon, and Thorrur, while the BRS won Indresham. Elections in 11 municipalities had earlier been deferred to Tuesday due to disputes, protests, lack of quorum, and allegations of political interference.

With results declared for 113 municipalities so far out of a total of 116, the Congress leads with 93 chairpersons, followed by BRS with 19, while the BJP, CPI, and AIFB bagged one each, and independents won four.

In Kyathanpally, the election was postponed citing lack of quorum and law and order concerns. Both Congress and BRS supporters allegedly clashed, causing tension for some time. BRS leaders accused ruling party members of abusing its women councillors, while Chennur MLA and Minister for Labour and Mining Vivek Venkataswamy and Peddapalli MP Vamsi Krishna alleged that former MP and MLA Balka Suman led an attack on them during their visit for the chairperson election.

Tense scenes unfolded in Thorrur, with heavy police deployment and the house arrest of several senior BRS leaders. And the election was held through draw of lots.

In Ibrahimpatnam, BRS candidate Teku Sudarshan Reddy was elected chairman, but officials halted the process citing a High Court stay order. BRS leaders argued the order came after the election was completed, but authorities nonetheless deferred the proceedings.

In Zaheerabad, the Congress secured the municipality with the support of independents and AIMIM councillors, despite winning fewer wards than the BRS.

In Kagaznagar, the Congress and BJP came together once again to elect Shaheen Sulthana as chairperson with the backing of nine Congress, three BJP, and two independent councillors, along with the ex-officio votes of BJP MLA Palvai Harish Babu and Congress MLC Dande Vittal. BJP councillor Gajjala Lavanya was elected vice-chairperson.