The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) won the Hyderabad Local Bodies MLC election.
AIMIM canditate Mirza Riyaz Ul Hasan, secured 63 votes. He defeated Bharatiya Janata Party’s Gautham Rao, who got 25 votes.
This was a straight contest between AIMIM and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Congress and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) did not field candidates. The election drew attention as it was held after a gap of 22 years. It was also the first time BJP contested this seat.
Voting took place on 23 April. There were 112 eligible voters. This included 81 corporators from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and 31 ex-officio members. The ex-officio members were made up of 9 MPs, 15 MLAs, and 7 MLCs.
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AIMIM began with a strong base of 49 votes from its own corporators. It also gained support from members of other parties. Among ex-officio members, AIMIM and BRS had 9 votes each. Congress had 7, and BJP had 6.
In the end, AIMIM’s Mirza Riyaz Ul Hasan got 63 votes. BJP’s Gautham Rao received 25. BJP’s initial count of 23 corporators dropped due to four defections.
The absence of Congress and BRS led to speculation. Many believe their members may have indirectly backed AIMIM.
BJP’s move to contest, despite lacking numbers, was seen as strategic. It aimed to challenge AIMIM’s stronghold and mark BJP’s presence in Hyderabad politics.
This result reinforces AIMIM’s dominance, but also shows BJP’s intent to grow in the region.