Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) polls concluded today with 150 wards, over 74,000 voters, as many as 1,122 candidates and covering five Lok Sabha constituencies. Was it just a municipal election? Think again.

There are 150 councilors to be elected in GHMC, who are responsible for administration and infrastructure construction in the city. The Municipal Corporation is responsible for handling issues such as building and road construction, disposal of garbage, government schools, street lights, maintenance of roads, cleanliness.

Last Election History

In 2016 elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation election held, TRS won 99 wards out of 150 wards. At the same time, Asaduddin Owaisi’s party AIMIM won 44 wards. On the other hand, the BJP was reduced to only three wards. In this way, the dominance of Chandrasekhar Rao and Owaisi’s party was clearly visible.

Party wise candidates in GHMC elections 2020

This time 1,122 candidates are in the fray for 150 seats in the municipal elections. The BJP has fielded 149 candidates. At the same time, TRS has fielded candidates for all 150 seats. On the other hand, Congress has fielded candidates for 146 seats, while only 51 candidates are contesting from Asaduddin Owaisi’s party All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. Apart from this, 106 candidates of TDP, 17 of CPI, 12 of CPM, 415 of Independents and 76 candidates from other parties are contesting. In 2016 TRS and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). TRS and AIMIM had bagged 99 (an absolute majority) and 44 seats, respectively. The BJP could manage just three seats.

Communal vs. Secular

Irony is that All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen which translates into All India Congress for Unity of Muslim is called secular by the media and Bhartiya Janata Party of Party of People of India is communal. Not to mention the election and other speeches by Asaduddin Owaisi and his brother Akbaruddin who wanted removal of police for 15 minutes to teach lesson to population other than Muslims and even after he is being prosecuted he continued to dare similar jibes like this:

With such speeches Owaisi brothers’ supremacist jibe translate into misbehaviour with general public by his followers and resulting in aversion towards their party and it’s tacit ally the ruling TRS party in the state. While Owaisi brothers roam around in heavy security common man does not have such luxury. In past decade of so has seen massive migration from old city area by the people who are not followers of Owaisi due to repeated misbehaviour of a particular community. The hope that TRS will reign in Owaisi seems to have disappeared and result is showing. Those who play by the rule of Identity Politics do not realise that by creating us they also create a them. And this THEM refuses to vote for US.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called Owaisi “Jinnah” and called for “surgical strikes” on Hyderabad, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath sought the renaming of the Telangana capital — from Hyderabad to ‘Bhavyanagar’ the ancient name of the city.Union Home Minister Amit Shah called for an end to “Nizam culture” and BJP president JP Nadda and top ministers have been part of its high-profile campaign. Not to forget the fiery yet dignified speech of Tejasvy Surya calling upon to Change Hyderabad:

Absolute power without opposition:

The GHMC is also significant to the state’s politics because within its limits lie 24 of Telangana’s 119 Assembly constituencies. Currently, the BJP has only five of the GHMC’s 150 seats. BJP’s however has increased its vote share from 7.1% in the 2018 Telangana Assembly polls to 19.45% in last year’s Lok Sabha polls. GHMC is like T20 cricket match and it would pave the way for next State elections in 2023. Winner today will be the challenger for ruling TRS who has a tacit alliance with Owaisi and technically Akbaruddin is the leader of Opposition in the State.

The 6 Congress MLAs, who were elected in last election also quit Congress and joined ruling TRS. With the Congress gradually losing ground in the states of Telangana and Andhra and regional parties like the TDP, YSRCP and Jana Sena vacating space, the BJP is keen to move in and spread its reach in Telangana to become the main rival to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). BJP was buoyed by its victory in the recent bypoll to Dubbak Assembly constituency in the state where it’s candidate defeated the widow of sitting MLA whose death caused by-poll. Dubbaka is in Siddipet, which is the home district of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, and the party’s campaign was spearheaded by his nephew and Finance Minister T Harish Rao.

This time around, BJP and TRS are locking horns in 99 divisions while the Owaisi’s AIMIM will join the two in the remaining 51. The counting of votes will be held on Friday. At the time of this writing at 12 past noon, BJP was comfortably leading on 85 seats. If it wins, it would be another eye opener for those playing identity politics in the name of pseudo Secularism.

Ironically Hyder means Lion. And one whose den is Hyderabad, seems to be losing it.

Final Result of GHMC elections 2020:

It turns out that TRS turned out out be biggest loser. The ruling Telangana Rashtriya Samithi (TRS) reclaimed the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) after winning the civic body polls with 55 seats (35.81% votes). TRS lost 44 seats to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which finished runner-up with 48 seats (35.56% votes) up from 4 seats. Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM retained all of his 44 seats (18.76% votes). Thus TRS has 7 more seats than BJP with a mere 0.25% votes.

The results took long time as ballot papers were used in the GHMC elections instead of EVMs.