BRS and Cong lock horns over GHMC delimitation strategy

Hyderabad: The Congress government is bracing for a sustained protest campaign from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) as the opposition prepares to challenge the proposed delimitation of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) divisions.

According to party sources, the BRS intends to elevate these protests into a central theme for the upcoming GHMC elections. A senior BRS leader suggested that the agitation would serve as potent campaign material, asserting that the issue alone would be sufficient to mobilise voters against the state government's current urban restructuring plans. As part of this tactical rollout, Sanath Nagar MLA Talasani Srinivas Yadav warned the administration against "fragmenting" the Secunderabad constituency. He demanded the creation of a separate Secunderabad district and a dedicated municipal corporation to preserve the area's historical identity. Srinivas Yadav announced that the party would observe a protest day on 17 January, featuring "rail roko" (train blockade) programmes, a Secunderabad bandh, and the wearing of black badges.

Responding to the threats, TPCC Media and Communication Committee chairman Sama Rammohan Reddy dismissed the BRS’s stance as a sign of political insecurity. He claimed that BRS leaders fear for their survival and argued that the leadership is rattled by the results of recent Sarpanch elections. Rammohan Reddy also mocked Srinivas Yadav's shifting loyalties, suggesting the public would not take his warnings seriously.

Similarly, Bhongir MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy hit back at BRS working president KT Rama Rao over his recent remarks. Responding to the statement that Hyderabad is not Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s personal "jagir" (estate), the MP questioned whether the state was KCR’s personal property when he increased the number of districts from 10 to 33 without widespread consultation.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has reportedly instructed Congress leaders to mount a robust counter-offensive against the BRS narrative at every level. Sources within the ruling party believe this aggressive stance will neutralise the opposition’s attempt to gain electoral mileage from the delimitation process.