WARANGAL: Continuing its victory saga, the pink party retained the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) by bagging 48 out of the total 66 divisions in the city.
Though it lost a few sitting seats, the ruling party can indeed heave a sigh of relief as it did not face an embarrassment like during the elections to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) held last year.
While the BJP improved its performance and bagged 10 divisions, the grand-old party managed to win only four and Independent candidates won in the remaining four divisions. The results of ordinary elections to all divisions in GWMC limits were announced on Monday.
At a time when political parties considered the elections to seven ULBs, held on April 30, as a semi-final to the 2023 Assembly polls, the GWMC results have come as a major relief to the pink party, which faced back-to-back disappointments in Dubbaka and GHMC.
When The New Indian Express went through the results and vote share, it was evident that the fight was between the TRS and the BJP. It may be recalled that during the 2016 GWMC elections, while the TRS won 44 divisions out of the total 58 divisions, the BJP bagged just one seat.
In the meantime, the Congress won four divisions, CPM one and Independent candidates won the remaining eight. After the delimitation process taken up earlier this year, the number of divisions in GWMC limits was increased to 66.
Of the total 6,64,188 voters in the city, only 3,63,573 people exercised their franchise this year, recording a polling percentage of 54.74 per cent which was much lesser than what was registered during the 2016 polls.
Though the TRS managed to bag 48 divisions, 14 more than the simple majority required to rule the city, most of its candidates won by a very meagre margin as against the 2016 poll results.
Gundu Sudha Rani elected
Meanwhile, former MP Gundu Sudha Rani, who was chosen by the TRS leadership as its mayoral candidate, has won from Division-29. Speaking to the media, Panchayat Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao thanked the voters of Warangal and assured to implement all poll promises.
BJP Warangal (Urban) president Rao Padma thanked the people for their support and stated that the BJP will play the role of a constructive opposition in the council.