The BJP’s high-profile campaign in the just-concluded municipal polls for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has led the Hindutva party to make a heavy dent in an otherwise bastion of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi and its ally All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen headed by Asaduddin Owaisi. The BJP is expected to emerge as the second-largest party in the 150-seat civic body, making a gain of nearly 40 seats. The TRS is expected to lose nearly 40 seats with the Congress being pushed to political oblivion as its candidates emerged victorious only on two seats.
So far, the results for 149 seats have been announced. Of which, the TRS candidates have won on 55 seats, while the AIMIM has bagged 44 seats, while the BJP has won 48 wards.
Meanwhile, the Telangana Congress chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy has offered to step down from his post following a dismal performance of his party in the GHMC polls.
Today’s results assume significance in light of the next assembly polls, scheduled in 2023. The BJP has vowed to wrest the power from the TRS in the key southern state in the next assembly polls. BJP leader P Muralidhar Rao tweeted, “#GHMC elections outcome ’BJP’s d only alternative to TRS misrule’. Our resolve to herald change in #Telangana is further strengthened by today’s results.”
Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted, “Gratitude to the people of Telangana for reposing faith in PM @NarendraModi led BJP’s Politics of Development. Congratulations to Shri @JPNadda ji and Shri @bandisanjay_bjp for BJP’s astounding performance in GHMC.I applaud the hard work of our karyakartas of @BJP4Telangana.”
MoS (Home) G Kishan Reddy was quoted by news agency ANI as saying, “TRS had 99 seats in Hyderabad, this has come down to 55 now. We had 4 seats and we have won 50 as of now. The number of seats of AIMIM has also gone down, the same goes for TRS. BJP has today emerged as a strong party.”
The BJP had fielded some of its top leaders including Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and controversial MP Tejasvi Surya to campaign in the municipal polls.