Congress Grapples with Political Uncertainty in Jagtial Municipality
Hyderabad: A fractured electoral verdict and a significant surge of independent candidates have plunged Jagtial municipality into political turmoil, compelling the ruling Congress party to urgently reassess its strategy for selecting chairperson and vice-chairperson candidates.
In the recently concluded municipal council elections for the 50-member body, results declared on Friday revealed Congress emerging as the single largest party with 23 seats. However, this falls short of the 26 seats required for a simple majority, creating substantial complications for the party's bid to secure leadership positions.
Independent Surprise Alters Power Dynamics
The most significant development has been the emergence of independent candidates as the second largest bloc in the council with 15 seats, surpassing both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with 6 seats and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) with 4 seats. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) secured 2 seats.
What has particularly unsettled the Congress leadership is the profile of these independent winners. A substantial majority of them maintain direct connections to prominent Congress leaders, creating an internal party dilemma rather than a straightforward opposition challenge.
Internal Party Rivalry Manifests in Elections
Of the 15 independent candidates who secured victory, nine were among those fielded by Congress veteran and former MLA T Jeevan Reddy. Additionally, four of approximately ten candidates fielded as independents by turncoat MLA M Sanjay Kumar also emerged victorious in their respective wards.
Sanjay Kumar, who was elected from the Jagtial constituency on a BRS ticket, has faced accusations of defecting to the Congress party—allegations he has consistently denied. The assembly speaker has stated there is insufficient evidence to support these defection charges.
Power Struggle Between Congress Factions
Sanjay Kumar and Jeevan Reddy have been engaged in an ongoing tussle for political dominance within the constituency. According to political sources, the Congress leadership issued a majority of the 50 B-forms (official candidate nomination forms) to candidates finalized by Sanjay Kumar, while fewer were allocated to those recommended by Jeevan Reddy.
In response to this perceived imbalance, both political camps proceeded to field their own candidates as independents. Some of Jeevan Reddy's nominees went on to defeat official Congress candidates in specific municipal wards, further complicating the party's internal dynamics.
Congress Leadership Seeks Explanations
A senior Congress leader in Jagtial explained that the party followed its standard practice of consulting the local MLA and key leaders while finalizing candidates for the municipal elections.
"Due to division of votes and sympathy and support for Jeevan Reddy and in a few cases for Sanjay Kumar, Congress 'independents' won," the leader stated. "We cannot label them as rebels since they were fielded by our own leaders. However, the party is examining this issue seriously and is likely to summon both Jeevan Reddy and Sanjay Kumar to seek their explanations."
The emergence of independents as a substantial political force has significantly altered the power equation within Jagtial municipality, forcing Congress to navigate complex internal dynamics while attempting to secure the chairperson position through potential alliances or negotiations.
