Hyderabad: Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies N. Uttam Kumar Reddy called the municipal poll victory referendum on the Congress government’s welfare governance and a rejection of the BJP’s alleged religious polarisation in North Telangana. He made the remarks after the election of the chairperson and mayor of Nizamabad Municipal Corporation.
Addressing party cadres at the Congress office in Nizamabad, he described the results as a strong endorsement of inclusive and development-oriented governance. According to him, the verdict reflected public trust in secular politics. He asserted that Congress had blocked attempts to polarise voters in North Telangana.
“We will not allow the state to become a victim of divisive politics, as happened in some northern states,” he said. He added that public resistance to the BJP stemmed from what he termed sponsored polarisation. Moreover, he stressed that the government would continue to focus on development without bias.
Municipal poll victory referendum across 123 urban bodies
The municipal elections covered 123 urban local bodies, including 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations, with 2,996 wards in total. Uttam said Congress emerged as the dominant force in these polls. He stated that the party secured around 1,537 wards, marking a notable rise compared to previous elections.
He credited party workers and loyal supporters for the outcome. In addition, he said Congress gained clear control in a majority of municipalities and corporations, which he described as proof of broad urban support.
Referring to Nizamabad, he said the party secured the mayor’s post despite what he called polarised politics. He attributed the win to strategic coordination, including support from AIMIM corporators. He congratulated newly elected Mayor K. Uma Rani and other leaders, describing her victory as a sign of strong grassroots leadership.
Recalling earlier elections, Uttam said Congress had won the Nizamabad Corporation in 2006 when he handled party affairs there. He remarked that the party regained the corporation after two decades while he again served as Minister in charge of the Nizamabad Parliamentary constituency for the municipal polls.
Linking the municipal poll victory referendum to welfare schemes, he highlighted several measures of the Congress government. He cited unlimited supply of fine rice to eligible ration card holders, covering over 85 per cent of the population. He also mentioned free electricity up to 200 units and free bus travel for women.
Furthermore, he pointed to record paddy production and procurement in districts such as Nizamabad. He pledged fresh investments in CC roads, drainage, sanitation, education, health and power infrastructure in towns including Nizamabad, Armoor, Bodhan, Korutla, Metpalli, Jagtial and Raikal. According to him, the aim was to turn these urban centres into national role models.
The minister also emphasised irrigation priorities. He said the government would speed up completion of Packages 21 and 22 for Nizamabad Rural. Additionally, it would undertake desilting of SRSP and Nizam Sagar to restore storage capacity. Finally, he claimed the current administration ensured proactive and round-the-clock governance compared to previous regimes.
