BJP to release manifesto for local body polls

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to release a manifesto for the forthcoming local body polls indicating its perspective plan for their development, informed Telangana party president N. Ramchander Rao here on Monday.

In an informal chat with the media at the State office, Mr. Rao asserted that the party takes all the elections seriously and the local body polls will be no different with a centralised campaign plan this time.

A new working committee too is to be formed within the next 20 says in consultation with the senior leaders, he said. The focus of the party will be on strengthening from the grassroots in the capital region and surrounding region.

The party chief said the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency byelection too attains importance and is of the opinion that the changing political scenario benefits the BJP. The Majlis Party factor is also there and it is not yet known if the party will support the Congress, BRS or will contest on its own, he pointed out.

Matching grants

Later, at a press conference, MLC Anji Reddy said that many works across Telangana got stalled because of the lack of matching grants from the State government despite funds getting released by the Centre. He stated that the local bodies like gram panchayats and others will receive funds as recommended by the 15^th Finance Commission only when elections are held on time. Despite the High Court directing the government to hold the polls, there is no movement yet, he claimed.

Since Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy himself had admitted to an empty treasury, whatever works are progressing is because of the Centre’s funds, said the MLC. In this context, he also condemned Telangana BC Welfare & Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar for questioning the Centre’s assistance to the State pointing out that Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy had already stated that Central funding has been to the extent of ₹12 lakh crore.