HYDERABAD: In a clear indication of the soaring popularity of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's government, the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Friday swept the elections for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) by bagging 99 seats in the 150-member strong council. As TRS supporters erupted in wild celebrations by blocking roads, distributing sweets and spraying pink colours in the air, chief minister Rao described Friday's victory "historic". The civic poll results also marked a thumping debut victory for the TRS, which had not even contested the GHMC polls in 2009.
"It is historic. No party had ever got this kind of mandate. While this has increased the sense of responsibility of my government, I am grateful to the people for this unprecedented victory they have handed to us," a beaming chief minister told reporters on Friday evening.
While it is a complete rout for the opposition BJP-TDP combine and the Congress, the MIM, which was nursing an aspiration to play a kingmaker, yet again has to satisfy itself as the principal opposition par ty in the GHMC council. Winning 44 seats, the Asaduddin Owaisi led party is the only group which improved its tally (by one) from the 2009 performance and saved some grace for itself.
Meanwhile, as news of TRS's victory was flashed across those very news channels that predicted only 75-85 seats for the TRS, jubilant supporters flocked to the party headquarters in Banjara Hills road number 12, beating drums and shouting slogans.
No party in the past was able to get a majority in the GHMC council on its own, which analysts said was a significant mandate for the ruling party . In 2009, the Congress could win only 55 seats, even when chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy's popularity was at its peak. The then ruling party had to forge an alliance with MIM, which had won only 43 seats and shared power in the civic body .
Cut to 2016, the TRS is in no need for any post-poll alliance, as the massive win has placed the party in such a comfortable position that it does not even need the support of the ex-officio members of the GHMC council to elect its candidate as mayor during the February 11 elections. The `man of the match', however, was IT minister K Taraka Rama Rao, who led the TRS poll campaign at the behest of his father KCR. Referring to `Naannaku Prematho' (To Father With Love), one of the biggest Telugu blockbusters of the year, an emotional KTR said the landslide victory was a gift to his father. "Idi Nannaku Prematho (this is to father with love)," said Rama Rao, amid thunderous cheers from partymen.
KTR had declared that he would resign from his ministerial position if his party failed to get anything less than 100 seats. He was jubilant on Friday despite falling short by just one seat.
Already rewarded with the municipal administration and urban development (MA&UD) portfolio, the young minister is getting ready to play a more vital role in government and state politics.
"We have re-written history in Hyderabad by winning the elections with such a huge majority.People have rejected the misinformation campaign launched by those with roots outside Telangana saying they would not be safe under TRS rule.Now, it is our duty to fulfill all promises we had made during the elections, and we will do it," said KTR.
As the results started pouring in, the opposition parties were cooling their heels behind locked doors. The BJP-TDP combine failed to get even doub e digits: The alliance won ust five divisions. While he BJP could win four seats, its alliance partner TDP got only one, despite Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Na du and his son Nara Lokesh aggressively campa gning for the alliance.
"We expected the NDA alliance to win a majority in the GHMC polls. However, the lower voter turnout came as big dampener. People who are frustrated with the TRS rule did not come out to vote," said Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya, who represents Secunderabad in the Lok Sabha.
The biggest loser, however, is the Congress.The party could get only two divisions.
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