TRS scores landslide win, TDP-BJP washed out in Hyderabad polls

Hyderabad, Feb 5: Creating history, Telangana's ruling TRS scored a landslide victory in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections, winning over 100 seats in 150-member body.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) wave washed away main opposition Congress and the Telugu Desam Party-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP-TDP) alliance, which were together reduced to single digits.

Out of the results declared till 9 p.m., TRS bagged 100 seats and was leading in couple of other divisions. This means the TRS, which had not contested the GHMC elections in 2009, has the majority to have its own corporator as mayor.

It was a remarkable performance for TRS, which proved its relevance in the politics Hyderabad, which is currently joint capital of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The party which led the movement for separate Telangana state formed the first government in the new state following its victory in 2014 elections. However, the party could win just two out of 24 assembly seats in GHMC limits.

The Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) maintained its stranglehold in the old city of Hyderabad. It retained its second position by winning 41 seats. However, the massive mandate for TRS means MIM will not have the kingmaker's role, which it historically enjoyed in the municipal body.

The BJP won three and its alliance partner TDP won one seat. The ruling alliance in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh was virtually wiped out.

The fate of Congress was no different. The main opposition party in Telangana could win just two seats.

The counting of votes polled in Tuesday's elections began at 3 p.m. but the results and trends were announced after 5 p.m. when repolling in one division concluded.

Elections held in all 150 divisions on Tuesday had recorded 45.27 percent turnout. According to GHMC, 33,60,543 voters out of the total electorate of 74,23,980 cast their votes.

A re-poll in Puranapull division in the old city was ordered following complaints of rigging and incidents of violence.

A total of 1,333 candidates were in the fray. The TRS had fielded candidates for all the 150 divisions while Congress contested 149 seats. The TDP had fielded candidates in 90 divisions and BJP in 60. The MIM contested 63 seats.

This was the first GHMC election after the formation of separate Telangana state.

The TRS had no representation in the previous body, where the Congress shared power with MIM after their victory in 2009 elections.

In the first GHMC, Congress had 52 seats and MIM 43. TDP had bagged 45 seats while BJP had five corporators.

The TDP-BJP alliance, which is ruling neighboring Andhra Pradesh, was banking on voters from Andhra Pradesh settled in Hyderabad but the results show that the TRS won even in those divisions where Seemandhra voters were in sizeable numbers.

Leaving behind the bitterness of the Telangana movement, TRS had also tried to reach out to people from Andhra, saying Hyderabad belong to all people who live here.

IANS