BJP gearing up for GHMC polls with focus on booth-level strength: Telangana President
Hyderabad, May 19 (TNT): Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao on Tuesday said the party is fully preparing for the upcoming Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections and called upon party workers to strengthen booth-level structures across the city.
Addressing a meeting of division presidents and senior leaders from GHMC limits at the BJP city office in Barkatpura here, Rao stressed the importance of discipline, unity and grassroots mobilisation ahead of the civic polls.
The meeting was attended by Rajya Sabha MP Rekha Sharma along with senior BJP leaders and party cadre from across Hyderabad.
Rao said the number of GHMC wards had increased to 300 following the delimitation process and added that there were media reports indicating the possibility of the number rising further to 350.
He said the party should remain fully prepared for elections likely to be held in September or October.
Recalling the BJP’s performance in the 2020 GHMC elections, he said the party had independently won 48 seats despite facing the combined strength of the then ruling BRS and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).
He asserted that the BJP now has a stronger parliamentary presence in the GHMC region and expressed confidence that a strong performance in the civic polls would pave the way for the formation of a BJP government in Telangana.
Rao also stated that party tickets would be allotted only to active grassroots workers with strong public connect and warned that internal group politics would not be tolerated.
He said surveys, public acceptance and winnability would play a major role in candidate selection.
He informed party workers that the BJP central leadership was closely monitoring preparations for the GHMC elections and urged leaders to ensure booth committees are effectively constituted in every ward.
Referring to the BJP’s organisational strength in West Bengal, Rao said the Telangana unit should adopt similar discipline and commitment to strengthen the party at the grassroots level.
The BJP leader also claimed that the recent public meeting addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Telangana had generated significant enthusiasm among the public and party cadre.
Taking a political swipe at the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Rao said the party no longer remained relevant in public discourse and claimed that several BRS leaders were in touch with the BJP.
He expressed confidence that the BJP would emerge victorious in all three proposed municipal corporations in the GHMC region and establish itself as the strongest political force in Telangana.
TNT TS
