Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Working President KT Rama Rao on Friday said that his party would 'discuss and analyse' the results of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) election, after it failed to get a clear majority. Though the TRS was heading to retain power in the 150-member municipal body with a lead in 70 divisions at around 4 pm, the scene changed dramatically with the BJP racing ahead in divisions where it was locked in neck-and-neck battle with the TRS. As of 8.45 pm, the TRS had won 56 seats, followed by the BJP with 46, and the AIMIM with 42, while the Congress only managed to win two seats.
"The result is not as expected. We thought we would get at least 20 to 25 seats more. Even exit polls had predicted the same. The BN Reddy colony seat, we lost by only 18 votes. In around 10 to 12 seats, we lost by less than 100 to 200 votes. We will discuss and analyse the results," KTR told the media on Friday evening.
Thanking the people of Hyderabad who had voted for the TRS, he pointed out that the party had been given the opportunity to grow as the single largest party. "We will certainly discuss everything. We will analyse why the desired outcome hasn't come," KTR added.
Asked about how the mayor of Hyderabad would be elected, with no clear mandate by the people, KTR said that there was still time to decide on the issue.
The results have come as a huge shock to the TRS, which had bagged 99 seats in the 2016 polls. The BJP, which had secured only four seats in the previous elections, saw a big jump in its numbers to emerge as the second largest party, a position which AIMIM was enjoying.
Since TRS has the highest number of ex-officio members at 31, it required 65 corporators to pick a mayor of its choice. The party may now have to negotiate a power sharing agreement with the AIMIM, if the latter doesn't extend unconditional support. In 2009, when GHMC polls had thrown a similar verdict, the Congress had shared power with the AIMIM, leaving the post of mayor to AIMIM for two years. The post of mayor this time has been reserved for a woman.
Out of the total 74.67 lakh voters, 46.55% had cast their votes in 149 divisions on Tuesday, while polling in one division was held on Thursday due to certain discrepancies.