Asifabad: The prominent leaders of political parties who had been nursing a desire to show their strength and grab the crucial Zilla Parishad Chairman post and turn the wheel of district politics, the local body reservation process has dashed their hopes.

Particularly, the OC leaders, who were expecting their luck in the Local Bodies elections, are disappointed as the Zilla Parishad Chairman post has been reserved for the BC.

Since the end of the Assembly and Parliament elections, top leaders of the respective political parties have been waiting for the Zilla Parishad elections. They thought that they would show their strength in local bodies and ascend to the key ZP Chairman post.

Even though the election notification was released in this process, the string of ZP reservations dashed the hopes of leaders of all parties. The position of leaders like former MLA Koneru Konappa, Congress leader Shyam Naik, and top BJP leader Arigela Nageshwar has become irrelevant.

Former MLA Koneru Konappa, who thought that if the ZP chairman post was allotted to the General, he could get the post to his younger brother Koneru Krishna. He left the Congress party and rejoined the BRS. In addition, it is reported that the BRS leadership gave a clear assurance that if Konappa wins the majority of ZPTC seats, the chairmanship will be given to those named by him.

On the other hand, Shyam Naik, who contested the MLA elections from Asifabad and was defeated by the BRS candidate, also set his sight on the ZP seat. But Shyam Naik did not get reservation. The position of Arigela Nageshwar, who left BRS and joined BJP before the elections, became untenable. If he had continued in BRS without changing the party, Nageshwar Rao would have been in the race for the ZP chairman.

Even if he contested and won as a ZPTC from BJP, there was no chance for that party to win a majority of ZPTC seats in the district.

Although the BJP is represented by an MLA in Sirpur constituency, the party is weakening day by day in rural areas. On the other hand, with the addition of Koneru Konappa faction, the situation is seen that BRS will win the majority of ZPTC and MPP seats in Sirpur constituency.

In the agency mandals of Asifabad constituency, the main competition will be between the ruling Congress and the opposition BRS. The presence of BJP here is also difficult.

In this context, although the ZP chairman reservation is favorable, keeping in mind the party situation at the field level, BJP leader Arigela Nageshwar Rao is not interested in contesting the ZP elections.

On the other hand, senior leader Anil Goud and former MPP Baleshwar Goud are reportedly in the ZP chairman race on behalf of the Congress.

There are possibilities of Anil Goud’s wife Jyoti contesting from Tiryani, the mandal he represents, and Baleshwar Goud from Kerameri.

Meanwhile, it is not clear who the chairman candidate from BRS will be. Even though KTR has promised to give the chairman post to Sirpur constituency, the party leaders are not sure who the BC leader at that level will be. However, senior BRS leader Abul Kalam is said to be in the race for the ZP chairman. Kalam, who is coming under the Swatahaga BC, is likely to contest as a ZPTC from the Kerameri seat.