The ruling Congress today failed to win a majority in the Geater Hyderbabad Municipal Corporation in the first elections after the death of the late Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy as the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) put up a spirited show.
The Congress managed to win just 52 seats against TDP’s 45, falling way behind the magic mark of 76 in the civic body which has a total strength of 150.
The Congress was facing the first electoral test after the death of its popular leader, the late Rajasekhara Reddy, in September. In the run-up to the election on November 23, the party had expressed confidence of winning 100 seats in the expanded GHMC.
The Majlis Ittehadul-e-Muslimeen, a local outfit, retained its hold in the Muslim-dominated localities, including the Old City, by winning 43 seats.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which desperately tried to regain lost glory in the city, was left badly bruised as it managed only five seats.
Actor Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), about which there was speculation that it would tie up with the Congress, barely opened its account with a solitary win.
The Lok Satta Party, which made its debut in the state Assembly in the May elections, drew a blank.
Interestingly, Congress ‘rebels’ won from two divisions, Bholakpur and Charlapalli. They were among the four Independents who made it to the GHMC, one of the top civic bodies in the country.
The final tally was: Congress—52; TDP—45; MIM—43; BJP—5; PRP—1 and Others—4.
