BJP highlights rise in minority votes, claims Oppn. parties teamed up in municipal elections

The Telangana BJP has raised concerns about the increasing voting percentage of minorities in the municipal polls and questioned how their influence in the State is growing even though the Majlis Party’s voting percentage has decreased.

Specifically referring to the voting pattern in Nirmal, party president N. Ramchander Rao alleged that minority votes had increased to an ‘unprecedented level’ in one ward. “We have doubts about this and have filed a complaint. How did minority votes jump from 20% to 57%? Conspiracies are being planned to block the BJP,” he told reporters at a press conference at the state office.

Mr. Rao alleged that the Majlis Party, Congress, BRS and Communists have come together to prevent the BJP from securing the Mayor and Chairperson positions in various municipal bodies. “These parties must explain the relationship they share,” he demanded, asserting that the BJP would work to remove ‘bogus and outside’ voters in Hyderabad soon.

The BJP president noted that the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) would begin in April and urged citizens as well as block-level officers to remain ‘alert’ during the exercise. “Without the homeowner’s knowledge, up to 60 votes are being registered from a single house,” he claimed.

Thanking the people for their support, the former MLC maintained that the BJP’s vote share had increased even though the party won fewer municipalities. For the first time in history, the BJP captured the Mayor’s seat in Karimnagar and won 28 divisions in Nizamabad, emerging as the single largest party.

In addition to securing the chairperson posts in the Narayanpet and Bhainsa municipalities, the party also won a majority of seats in 13 other local bodies. It showed dominance in several municipalities and played a key role in the elections for chairman and vice-chairman posts, he said.

Mr. Rao added that the party demonstrated its strength in places such as Khammam, Warangal, Kothagudem and Parkal. He further stated that the ruling Congress has not managed to get the majority seats and BRS vote share had dropped by 14% with the party limited to just 13 municipalities. Though the ‘Red flag’ (Communists) is not seen anywhere, Congress is helping it gain influence in Telangana, he alleged.