GHMC election results: Exit polls project TRS win; BJP eating into KCR & Owaisi's seats

All eyes are on the results of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections as the fate of TRS, BJP and the AIMIM in the hotly-contested battle will be decided on Friday as counting is underway.

The high-octane campaign trail saw a massive face-off between the BJP, AIMIM and TRS with the saffron party getting star campaigners like Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Yogi Adityanath, JP Nadda to woo voters in Hyderabad. Various exit polls indicate a victory for KCR's TRS which is predicted to win over 70 seats although early trends after the commencing of counting shows BJP putting up a strong fight. The current term of the GHMC council will end on February 2021. Previously, in the 2016 elections, AIMIM won 44 seats, TRS won 99, BJP 4 seats, Congress 2, and TDP won one seat.

The poll campaign for the GHMC polls went communal with TRS, BJP and AIMIM issuing sharp remarks on each other. Emboldened by their victory in Dubbak by-polls and increased vote percentage in the Lok Sabha polls 2019, BJP had appointed a poll team headed by its national general secretary Bhupender Yadav and will be sending its big guns including Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah and party chief JP Nadda. 

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Exit polls predict TRS win in GHMC polls

Jan Ki Baat Exit Poll predicts a TRS victory with 74 seats and a vote share of 37.4%. As the BJP went hammer and tongs during the campaign,  the saffron party is predicted to get a vote share of 33.6% and 31 seats. Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM is projected to get 40 seats and 21% vote share.

CPS team Exit poll predicted TRS victory with KCR-led party set to win 68-78 seats, BJP to win 25-35 seats, and AIMIM to win 38-42 seats. It predicts that Congress will win 1-5 seats. BJP is predicted to get a vote share of 27.9% and TRS 39 %.

READ | After High Decibel Campaigning, Low Voter Turnout For GHMC Polls

People's Pulse Exit Polls predicts TRS to get 68-78 seats, BJP is projected to get 25-35 seats and AIMIM projected to get 38-42.

AARAA EXit Polls predicts that TRS will get 78 seats while BJP will get 28 seats. AIMIM will get 41 seats. The vote share of BJP is projected to increase to 31.2 % and AIMIM's 13.4.

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Counting underway

Elaborate arrangements have been made for the counting process which would begin at 8 AM on Friday. Counting centres have been set up at 30 places and the total number of personnel engaged in counting is 8,152. The entire counting process would be recorded with CCTV cameras installed at every counting table, they said. Ballot papers were used for the poll and consequently, the results are likely to be known only in the evening or in the night. The Telangana State Election Commission had decided to conduct the election with ballot papers after obtaining the views of major political parties, the health department in view of COVID-19 and taking into consideration various relevant issues.

READ | Telangana BJP Claims Elections In 2 GHMC Wards 'rigged' Citing 90%+ Turnout; Accuses AIMIM

Low voter turnout despite star-studded campaigns

A high-decibel, no holds barred campaign involving a battery of BJP leaders such as Amit Shah and Yogi Adityanath versus the ruling TRS for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) election was followed by a low turnout polling on Tuesday. About 35% of the 74 lakh-odd voters turned up to cast their votes. Counting of votes will be taken up on December 4. Polling passed off peacefully, but not without any glitch, as repoll was ordered in ward number 26 owing to a symbol mix-up involving the two Left parties-- CPI and CPI (M), officials said. Ballot papers were used in a total of 150 wards of the corporation.