Hyderabad, Feb 10: Just days before polling, Telangana’s municipal elections were rocked by tragedy after a BJP candidate allegedly died by suicide in Narayanpet district. Erukali Mahadevappa, who was contesting from Ward No. 6 in Maktal municipality on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket, was found hanging at his residence late Monday night. His family has made explosive allegations, claiming Mahadevappa was under severe pressure and intimidation from political opponents ever since he filed his nomination.
The incident comes at a highly sensitive moment, with polling scheduled on Wednesday across 116 municipalities and seven corporations in Telangana. Family members allege Mahadevappa was repeatedly threatened and pushed to withdraw from the race, leaving him mentally distressed. Police have registered a case and shifted the body for post-mortem, stating that all angles are being investigated. Mahadevappa had actively campaigned till the last day, even sharing the stage with BJP MP D. K. Aruna, making the incident all the more shocking.
Politically, the fallout has been intense. The Telangana BJP has squarely blamed the ruling Indian National Congress, alleging a climate of fear and intimidation. In a fiery statement, the party accused Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, of moral responsibility, calling Mahadevappa’s death “a dark stain on democracy.” BJP leaders are planning protests in Hyderabad, with police deployed at the party’s state office amid reports of a proposed march to the DGP’s office demanding a high-level probe. As emotions run high, the tragedy has cast a dark shadow over Telangana’s local body elections and reignited fierce political sparring ahead of polling day.
