Owaisi hails win in 44 out of 51 GHMC wards which AIMIM contested; downplays BJP's success

On Friday, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi expressed satisfaction over his party's performance in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation election. Thanking the people of Hyderabad for exercising their right to vote on the polling day despite the threat of COVID-19, he highlighted that AIMIM had won the same number of wards (44) as the 2016 GHMC polls. In fact, he pointed out that AIMIM had the best strike rate among all other parties by winning 44 out of the 51 wards in which it fielded candidates.

Owaisi attributed his party's good performance to the work done for the common person during every challenging situation including the coronavirus-induced lockdown. While acknowledging that BJP had done very well in the election, he predicted that the people of Telangana would stop BJP from expanding its footprints in the next Assembly polls. Refraining from spelling out whether his party would back TRS for the Mayor's post, the Hyderabad MP revealed that a final decision shall be taken after talking to AIMIM leaders on Saturday. 

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AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said, "I want to thank the voters of the wards in which 44 AIMIM candidates won. 5 years ago too, we had 44 corporators when we contested 60 wards. This time, we contested 51 municipal divisions out of which we won 44 municipal seats."

"In Hyderabad Parliamentary constituency, we contested 34 out of 44 municipal divisions. We emerged victorious in 33 wards. This was the same 5 years ago. In Secunderabad, we won 9 out of the 12 municipal wards in which we contested," he added. 

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Taking on BJP, Owaisi remarked, "This has been our best strike rate. Definitely, BJP has won. It is the people’s decision. We will try to fight BJP democratically. I have full confidence that the people of Hyderabad and Telangana will stop BJP from expanding its footprints. When the Assembly polls take place in Telangana, you will realise that BJP has won for the time being. At that time, they will not get such success."

"We will sit down and talk. Tomorrow, I will consult the important office-bearers of my party. I will solicit their suggestions. Thereafter, we will take a decision," the AIMIM supremo mentioned on the possibility of joining hands with TRS. 

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The 2020 GHMC election

The election to 150 divisions of the GHMC was conducted in the exercise of powers conferred by Articles 243-K and 243-ZA of the Constitution read with Sections 7(1), 9, 10 and 24 of the GHMC Act, 1955. The polls were conducted using paper ballots instead of EVMs. Furthermore, the polling time was extended by an hour, i.e from 7 am to 6 pm owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Out of 149 wards, TRS won 55 seats, BJP 48, AIMIM 44 and Congress two. The result for the Neredmet ward has been withheld owing to an order of the Telangana High Court order. In this ward, the TRS candidate is reportedly leading by 505 votes.  

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