Congress Sweeps Telangana Civic Polls, Wins 84 Municipalities

Though elections were held for 116 municipalities on February 11 and results were declared on February 13, chairpersons and vice-chairpersons could not be elected by newly-elected Councillors in 11 municipalities.

Principal Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) took control of 17 municipalities while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bagged one municipality in the state.

Independent candidates were elected as chairpersons of three municipalities.

Though, Congress had secured majority in 66 municipalities, its Councillors were elected as chairpersons and deputy chairpersons in another 18 municipalities with the support of other parties and independents.

The Congress captured power in two municipalities with the support of BJP in Telangana.

The BJP backed the Congress for the chairperson's post of Narsapur municipality in Medak district. The ruling Congress in return ensured election of BJP Councillor as the vice-chairperson.

A similar arrangement was made by the BJP and Congress in Aliyabad in Medchal Malkajgiri district.

The BRS secured the post of chairpersons of Amangal municipality in Rangareddy district with the support of BJP. The BRS backed the BJP to elect its candidate as vice-chairperson.

The elections had thrown as many as 34 hung municipalities.

Out of seven municipal corporations for which elections were held along with 116 municipalities, the Congress bagged the posts of both mayor and deputy mayor in four municipal corporations -- Mahabubnagar, Mancherial, Nalgonda and Ramagundam.

Mood Ganesh of the Communist Party of India (CPI), an ally of Congress, was elected Mayor of Kothagudem Municipal Corporation.

S. Lalitha Kumar of the Congress was elected the Deputy Mayor.

The two parties had won 22 seats each in the 60-member corporation.

In Nizamabad Municipal Corporation, Congress's K. Uma Rani was elected Mayor with the support of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).

Salma Tahseen of the AIMIM was elected the Deputy Mayor.

The ruling Congress thus succeeded to stop the BJP, which had emerged as the single largest party.

However, the Congress could not stop BJP from bagging Karimnagar Municipal Corporation.

The BJP, which had won 30 divisions in 66-member body, comfortably bagged the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor with the support of some Independents.

In Adilabad municipality, Independent Councillor Bandari Anusha was elected as Chairperson while Mohammad Rohith of the AIMIM was elected as Vice-Chairperson.

In the 49-member civic body, BJP had emerged as the single largest party by winning 21 seats. Congress won 11 seats, BRS and AIMIM won six seats each. Five Independents were also elected.

Congress, BRS, AIMIM and four Independents supported Bandari Anusha as the Chairperson.

In Bhainsa municipality, Independents were elected as Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson.

Elections to Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons of Yellandu, Sultanabad, ⁠Ibrahimpatnam, ⁠Kagaznagar, ⁠Ketanapally, ⁠Khanapur, ⁠Zaheerabad, Inderesham, Dornakal, Jjangaon and Thorrur municipalities have been postponed by the election authorities.

The meetings of the urban bodies began on Monday, with the newly-elected Councillors and Corporators taking oath. This was followed by the election of Mayors, Deputy Mayors of corporations and chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of municipalities.

The election was marred by clashes between the Congress and BRS supporters at a few places.

- IANS