BJP secures Mayor post in Karimnagar, a first in Telangana

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) capture of the mayoral post in Karimnagar Municipal Corporation (KMC) marks a significant political milestone for the party’s future in Telangana. This is the first time since the formation of Telangana in 2014 that the BJP will head a Municipal Corporation in the State.

Tasted success in united AP in 2002

The party tasted the success in the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh, briefly heading two major Corporations including the Warangal Municipal Corporation. In 2002, the BJP had controlled the Warangal Corporation when T. Rajeshwar Rao won the Mayoral post in alliance with the then ruling Telugu Desham Party (TDP) through a direct election. Mr. Rao was also an MLA from Wardhannapet in 1989, and continues to be an influential figure within the party despite his age.

BJP’s Mayor in 1981

Even earlier, the BJP registered its urban presence when NSN Reddy became Mayor of Visakhapatnam in 1981. This was the first time that a BJP candidate headed a Municipal Corporation in the Telugu states or erstwhile united State. Yet, the Karimnagar outcome this year stands apart because it comes in a politically reconfigured Telangana, where regional and national rivals have largely dominated urban civic bodies.

Victory attributed to Bandi Sanjay

The BJP’s success in Karimnagar is widely attributed to Bandi Sanjay Kumar, the Union Minister of State for Home and sitting MP from the constituency. His aggressive, high-voltage campaign and sustained organisational push transformed Karimnagar into a BJP stronghold, overcoming the local equations.

The party, however, fell short of expectations in Nizamabad, where it was widely anticipated to clinch the Corporation, given its MP Arvind Dharmapuri and MLAs’ strength. Instead, the BJP emerged only as the single largest party, allowing Congress to stitch together a post-poll arrangement with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and some members of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

GHMC polls in 6 months

Strategically, the victory in Karimnagar is expected to bolster BJP morale ahead of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections, likely within the next six months. Hyderabad’s recent administrative reconfiguration into three Corporations is seen by the BJP as an opportunity, particularly given its strong footprint in the Malkajgiri parliamentary segment, represented by Etala Rajender.

15% vote share in Telangana ULB Polls-2026

Despite the symbolic high, the BJP’s broader poll performance will leave it disappointed, as it is seen as an urban party more than a rural one. The BJP polled around 15% of the vote statewide in the recently held Telangana Municipal Polls-2026, significantly behind Congress, which surged ahead with roughly 40%, opening a gap of nearly 25 percentage points.