For BJP local body polls as important as general elections: BJP spokesperson

Hyderabad: After the announcement of GHMC elections on Tuesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party said that it will contest polls with an agenda to bring in good governance.

"Health and security for all citizens, housing for the poor and improving urban infrastructure will be our focus for the GHMC elections," said K. Krishna Saagar Rao, spokesperson, BJP Telangana.

State Election Commissioner C. Parthasarathi on Tuesday announced the schedule for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation polls. The polls for 150 wards will be held on 1 December. The counting will take place on 4 December.

Bhupendra Yadav factor in GHMC election

The BJP national leadership has deployed Bhupendra Yadav, its national general secretary, as party in-charge for the GHMC elections. Karnataka Health Minister Dr Sudhakar has been asked to assist him. Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha whip Ashish Shellar, Karnataka MLA Satish Reddy and BJP Gurajat leader Pradeep Singh Waghela will be the district in-charges for the Greater Hyderabad area.

Bhupendra Yadav was also the party's general secretary in-charge in Bihar during the recent elections where BJP won and formed the government in alliance with JD(U).

"Bhupendra is a senior party leader, and he played a major role in managing elections in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and recently in Bihar. He is quite experienced in assessing the situation at ground level. We are looking forward to his guidance. His leadership will add immense value for BJP to fight the GHMC election," said K. Krishna Saagar Rao.

Election after Dubbaka bypoll win

The BJP has also formed the GHMC election committee chaired by the Union Minister of State for Home, G. Kishan Reddy and BJP OBC Morcha president, K. Laxman as it's the convenor. The party said that it will put everything into the GHMC polls just like how it did for the Dubbaka bypoll, where it had won in a close fight with the ruling TRS.

"The BJP considers all local body elections as important as the nationwide general elections as it is an opportunity to show people what the party has done for them so far and what more it can do for them if it wins the elections," Saagar Rao added.

Focus on local issues

By winning the Dubakka bypoll, the BJP has made inroads into rural Telangana. Now, the party wants to focus on local issues that come under GHMC's jurisdiction.

"GHMC is not Dubbaka. Every election is different and we need to fight the election on issues pertaining to the local ecosystem. Our agenda is to target the areas where TRS has failed to win the mayoral position," he added.

The party also said that they will release the list of candidates on 18 November evening or early 19 November.