HYDERABAD: The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) which sprang a surprise by sweeping the GHMC polls the results of which were declared on Friday, failed to make a dent in the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) stronghold. The Majlis successfully stopped the TRS juggernaut in the old city strengthening the myth that no ‘wave’ can storm its bastion.
The Majlis romped home from 44 divisions, improving its tally by one seat. In the elections held in 2009, it held 43 seats. The Majlis also bagged the Puranapul ward re-polling for which was conducted on Friday.
The party established early leads in over 30 divisions when counting was taken up at 5 pm. There were some tense moments for the Majlis leaders as the TRS marched ahead while its figure remained stuck at 38.
Many believed the Majlis will not reach its previous tally. But the party surprised everyone by improving its performance. The party also bagged six new divisions - Akbarbagh, Azampura, Kurmagud, Erragadda, Shaikpet and Bholakpur.
Interestingly, the TRS which had no presence in the Old City, came second in most of the wards from where Majlis won. The two bedroom house and Shahdi Mubarak scheme of the TRS tipped the balance in favour of the ruling party, it is said.
The Congress which carried out a spirited campaign led by its president, Uttam Kumar Reddy and Leader of Opposition in Council, Mohd Shabbir Ali, failed to cut ice with the voters. The party suffered a worst drubbing in the Old City.
As results started pouring in, a large number of people flocked the Majlis office at Darussalam. There were cheers and bursting of crackers as and when the results were declared. When the party finally won the Puranapul division, Asaduddin Owaisi thanked the voters. He tweeted “Puranapul Hindu candidate of MIM won over Congress Muslim candidate. Victory to secularism.’’
The Hyderabad MP carried his party’s campaign with the slogan ‘Saher Hamara, Mayor Hamara’. But with the TRS winning the Baldiya polls with thumping majority the coveted post of Mayor has slipped from the
Majlis. However, the latter has the satisfaction of emerging as the second largest party in the GHMC, a position earlier held by the Congress. Political analysts feel the Majlis will bag the Deputy Mayor post since chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, has called it a ‘friendly party’.
The Majlis presence in the Hyderabad civic body dates back to 1960 with its former president, Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi, serving as the Leader of Opposition in the MCH during 1960-1970. For 16 years no elections were conducted to the civic body and finally in 1986 when polls were held on the AP High Court’s directive, the Majlis emerged as the single largest party winning 38 out of the 100 seats. In the
2002 election also the Majlis emerged as the largest party but this time it won 36 seats. Again after formation of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, elections were held in 2009 on the court directive for 150 wards. This time the Majlis won 43 wards.
The Majlis under Asaduddin Owaisi has made impressive gains in the local body polls held to the panchayat raj bodies and municipalities in Telangana.
Apart from its traditional stronghold in Hyderabad, it has emerged as a party to reckon with in Maharashtra and UP.
The victors & the vanquished
KT Rama Rao the Commander
KTR, as he is popular, single-handedly led TRS to an unprecedented win in the GHMC elections. Given full responsibility of leading the party to a win, the young leader made whirlwind tours in and around Hyderabad, participating in 10 to 20 electioneering programmes everyday. The US-educated leader interacted with all sections of people.
Kavita the Rising Star
While KTR led from the front, Kavita was not far behind. Though she was made in-charge of the Musheerabad division for campaigning, she campaigned in several other parts of the city. “Ramannna (KTR) and I planned in the beginning itself to share campaigning responsibility and make sure that no division received less attention,” said an elated Kavita .
Firebrand Revanth
TDP-BJP campaign might have faced a crushing defeat in GHMC polls. But TDP’s fire brand leader Revanth Reddy made his mark as a star campaigner. At a time when both BJP and TDP senior leaders were left with no answers to TRS’s posers on various issues, Revanth was able to guard the fort for TDP-BJP combine with his trademark punches and oratory.
‘Old Style’ Asaduddin
Asad ‘bhai’, the MP surely knows how to be in the limelight. First, he kicked up the beef strom, then took on the BJP and Congress. He then made news for leading the attack on TPCC leaders on polling day. But that’s how politics is played out and Asaduddin Owaisi proved it beyond doubt that he will go to any extent to retain their hold on the city.
Rahul gandhi Effect?
Bihar may be an exception but many feel that whenever Rahul Gandhi visits a place during elections, defeat is just round the corner! Though for a different reason, Rahul Baba visited the University of Hyderabad campus twice with all local Congress leaders in tow, but that clearly did not help the already weak Congress here. The result speaks for itself.
No Modi Factor
TRS went all guns blazing at the saffron party but the BJP had nothing to speak of locally, so they relied upon the Narendra Modi wave. Though the TRS went hammer and tongs at Modi, saying he never visited Telangana even once, the BJP stuck to its ‘mantra’ of development under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But did it help? Clearly, it didn’t.
