Uttam: Civic Poll Results a Referendum on Congress Rule

Nizamabad: Irrigation and civil supplies minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Monday described the Congress performance in the municipal elections as a referendum on the state government’s governance and a rejection of what he termed attempts at religious polarisation in north Telangana by the BJP.

Addressing party workers at Congress Bhavan in Nizamabad, along with TPCC president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud and state government adviser P. Sudarshan Reddy, after the election of the Mayor and chairpersons in the district, he said, “The Congress has successfully stalled attempts by the BJP to polarise the political situation in north Telangana.”

“The party's secular credentials remain its hallmark. We will not allow the state to become a victim of the disruptive potential of divisive politics, as it happened in the case of some northern states,” he said.

“We stand by all communities and ensure the development of everyone without bias,” he added.

The minister said the BJP was responsible for creating a sense of alienation among certain communities and claimed that the Congress government had addressed these concerns during its two-year tenure. “Our focus will remain on development with an unbiased approach,” he said.

Referring to the municipal elections held in 123 urban local bodies, including 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations covering 2,996 wards, he said the Congress secured about 1,537 wards and gained control in a majority of urban bodies.

In Nizamabad, he said the party secured the mayor’s post with support from AIMIM corporators and congratulated mayor K. Uma Rani and other elected representatives. He said the party had earlier won the Nizamabad Municipal Corporation in 2006 when he was in charge and had regained it again during his tenure as in-charge minister for the parliamentary constituency.

He said the government would prioritise development works, including CC roads, drainage, sanitation, education, health and power infrastructure in urban bodies such as Nizamabad, Armoor, Bodhan, Korutla, Metpalli, Jagtial and Raikal.

The minister also referred to irrigation works, including completion of Packages 21 and 22 for Nizamabad Rural and desilting of SRSP and Nizamsagar.

He said the Congress had improved its position in Nizamabad compared to previous elections and added that in Nizamabad and Karimnagar the party could have secured more seats but for polarisation. He alleged that the BRS had failed to deliver development in urban local bodies during its tenure.