Hyderabad: With no clear winners in many urban local bodies, Telangana’s political battlefield has swiftly shifted from counting centres to closed-door negotiations. A fractured verdict in 37 municipalities and corporations has triggered intense backroom manoeuvring, as parties scramble to line up independents and rebels to clinch chairperson and mayor posts.A day after the municipal election results threw up a split mandate, major political parties turned their focus to independents and dissidents to bridge the numbers gap. Some smaller parties pledged their support to the Congress without formally joining it, underscoring the fluid political equations now in play.
In Bellampally, independent councillors Shankar Singh and Kumara Swamy joined the BRS in the presence of BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Saturday. Another councillor from the town, Ramulu, extended support to the BRS for the municipal chairperson post.The BJP, meanwhile, secured the backing of four independent candidates and one rebel for the Karimnagar mayoral election. In Kagaznagar, Isnapur and other municipalities, several independents assured support to the BRS, strengthening its prospects in closely contested councils.