TRS scores landslide win in Greater Hyderabad polls

Hyderabad, Feb 5: Telanga’s ruling TRS a scored a landslide victory in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections, whose results of which were declared Friday. The Telanga Rashtra Samithi (TRS) had won or was leading in at least 100 divisions in 150-member municipal body, virtually wiping out main opposition Congress and the Telugu Desam Party-Bharatiya Jata Party (BJP-TDP) alliance. Out of the results declared till 6 p.m., TRS bagged 83 seats and was leading in another 17 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 Hyderabad, which is currently joint capital of Telanga and Andhra Pradesh. The party which led the movement for separate Telanga 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 so far won 30 seats and was leading in two divisions. The BJP won three and its alliance partner TDP won one seat.

The Congress, which is the main opposition party in Telanga, could win only one seat. 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 Purapull division in the old city was ordered following complaints of rigging and incidents of violence. (IANS)