Hyderabad civic body polls: TRS emerges largest party, but fails to get majority; impressive show by BJP

Naveen S Garewal 

Tribune News Service 

Hyderabad, December 4 

The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has maintained its lead in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) polls, but not without losing a large number of seats to the BJP that has emerged as the second largest party in the GHMC polls. 

With the TRS securing 56 seats in a House of 150, the saffron party has done well by securing 47 seats, four seats more that the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) that won 43 seats.  

The biggest setback has been to the Congress that has managed to get only two seats in the 150 divisions it contested. Trends showed TRS to be the largest party right from the beginning, but its seats fell from 99 in the 2016 polls to just 56 this time, a loss of 43 seats.  

The AIMIM managed to retain it share by winning 43 seats, only one less than the 2016 elections. Though the results would formally be declared later at night, the situation is almost clear with the TRS Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) telling the media that it had accepted the heavy loss in seats despite retaining the number one position in the election.  

The aggressive campaigning by the top BJP leadership, including BJP national President JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, UP Chief Minister Yogi Aditya Nath, Union Ministers Prakash Javadekar and Smiriti Irani have paid rich dividends to the party in terms of good results.   

The results have put the seats won by the TRS at 56, BJP 47, AIMIM 43 and Congress just 2. The state Congress President Uttam Reddy has submitted his resignation after the debacle of the party. The BJP is the biggest gainer in these elections as its seats have gone up from four in the previous House to 47 now. 

After the results are formally announced, Mayor's position will go to the TRS and post-poll will see the City get its first woman Mayor.  

As the results started pouring in, the City burst into celebrations at the party headquarters of various parties. The TRS Bhawan saw women in traditional dresses dance to frenzied tunes. A similar mood was seen at the BJP’s party office at Nampally. The AIMIM that has almost maintained a status quo has large pockets of strength in the Charminar and old city area. 

Ballot papers were used in the election to the 150-ward GHMC on December 1.

Counting of votes began at 8 am with postal ballots being counted first and BJP was ahead of its rivals in the postal ballot votes.

The polling percentage was an unimpressive 46.55.

Out of the 74.67 lakh voters, 34.50 lakh electors exercised their franchise.

While the ruling TRS fielded candidates in all the 150 wards, BJP set up nominees in 149 wards.

The Congress, AIMIM and TDP fielded candidates in 146, 51 and 106 wards, respectively.

The civic poll results have served as a big morale booster for the BJP that has four MPs and two MLAs from Telangana. It had won the recent bypolls in Dubbak by defeating the TRS and this led to a renewed vigour among the party leadership and cadres.  

The GHMC polls are very important for the Telangana Vidhan Sabha elections as the corporators of the 150 divisions have a direct influence on many seats. These elected representatives can change the fate of nearly 25 per cent candidates in the Assembly elections. Therefore, the GHMC polls are known to be mini-state elections.