MIM withstands TRS wave in Hyderabad, maintains stronghold in Old City

Hyderabad: Creating history, Telangana's ruling TRS scored a landslide victory in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections, winning 99 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, together reduced to single digits. According to the final tally, TRS bagged 99 seats. Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) withstood TRS wave in its stronghold of old city to emerge as second largest party with 44 seats.

However, the massive mandate for TRS means MIM will not have the kingmaker's role, which it historically enjoyed in the municipal body. It will be the main opposition party in the new body. The BJP won three and its alliance partner TDP won one seat. The alliance, which is in power 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 TRS, which had not contested the GHMC elections in 2009, will name its corporator as a mayor in a day or two. It was a remarkable performance for TRS in 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, it could win just two out of 24 assembly seats in GHMC limits.

As many as 33,60,543 voters out of the total electorate of 74,23,980 had cast their votes in the elections held on Tuesday. A total of 1,333 candidates were in the fray. 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 prominent among those elected include TRS leader K. Keshava Rao's daughter G. Vijayalakshmi, who is likely to become mayor. Former mayor Banda Karthika Reddy of Congress party lost the poll in Tarnaka division. Former mayor Majid Hussain of MIM was elected from Mehdipatnam.

In Puranapul division, where repolling was held on Friday, Raj Mohan of MIM defeated Mohammed Ghouse of the Congress. Celebrations broke out in TRS camp while the party president and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao called upon the cadre to be humble even in this moment of historic victory.

KCR and his minister son K. Tarakarama Rao, who led the party campaign, said the massive mandate has increased party's responsibility. KCR promised that the government will treat all the people living in the city equally. He all those living in Hyderabad are children of Hyderabad.

The chief minister said people had given a befitting reply to those who were creating apprehensions in the minds of people from Andhra Pradesh settled in Hyderabad. He advised the opposition to offer constructive suggestions and come forward to work with the government to make Hyderabad a "truly global city".

He announced that one lakh double bed-room houses for poor will be constructed in the city. KCR said three new government hospitals with strength of 1,000 beds each and equipped with facilities at par with corporate hospitals will be built in the city in one year.

MIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi congratulated TRS for party's "fantastic" performance. "My commiserations to Congress, TDP and other parties," he quipped.

Owaisi said out of 44 corporators of MIM, four are Hindus - three belonging to other backward castes and one from the scheduled castes. Eighteen of the party's corporators are women.