Congress wins majority of urban local bodies in Telangana

HYDERABAD: Telangana’s ruling Congress party has won nearly 60 percent of urban local bodies, the results show on Friday night.  The Congress party captured power in 64 out of 116 municipalities and three out of seven corporations.

Main Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) bagged 13 municipalities, while Forward Block captured one urban local body. There were no clear winners in 38 municipalities. This triggered camp politics by both Congress and BRS to lure independents and others to win the posts of chairpersons and vice-chairpersons. The Congress party claimed victory in 75 percent of the municipalities. An impressive performance by BRS denied the ruling party a clean sweep.

Out of 2,582 wards in municipalities, the Congress party bagged 1,347 wards while BRS secured 717 wards. The BJP was distant third with 261 seats. Others, including AIMIM and independents, won 256 seats.

Out of 414 divisions in seven municipal corporations, results have come so far from 378 divisions. Congress won 177, while the BRS bagged 57 divisions. BJP won 70 divisions while others secured 74 seats.

Over 73 percent of voters had cast their votes in the municipal elections in 116 municipalities and seven corporations on Wednesday. Counting of votes was taken up from 8 a.m. on Friday amid tight security.

A total of 52,17,413 voters were eligible to cast their votes in 2,981 wards in the 123 urban local bodies. According to the State Election Commission (SEC), 38,09,406 voters cast their votes.

The voter turnout in municipalities was 75.88 percent, while in municipal corporations, 66.05 percent of the electorate exercised their franchise.

Newly-elected councillors and corporators will take oath on February 16 (Monday), and the same day they will elect Municipal chairpersons and vice-chairpersons and corporation mayors and deputy mayors. (IANS)

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