Hyderabad, Feb 17 (IANS) Telangana’s ruling Congress on Tuesday captured power in seven more municipalities while the main opposition BRS took control of one urban local body.

Elections to Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons in three municipalities were postponed again due to a lack of quorum and clashes between Congress and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) cadres.

Elections to the posts of Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons could not be held on Monday due to various reasons, including violence.

Chaos prevailed once again at few municipalities with the opposition accusing the ruling party of resorting to hooliganism and undemocratic measures.

Janagaon and Thorrur municipalities in the undivided Warangal district once again witnessed clashes between the two sides.

As the election in both the urban bodies ended in a tie, the winner was decided through a draw of lots. Luck favoured the Congress in both places.

The Congress comfortably bagged Yellandu, Sultanabad, Dornakal and Zaheerabad municipalities and captured Kagaznagar with the support of the BJP.

The BRS captured power in the Inderesham municipality.

Though the BRS candidate was elected as Chairperson of Ibrahimpatnam municipality, the State Election Commission stopped the process due to a stay granted by the High Court.

The meetings of Ketanapally and Khanapur municipalities ended in chaos, forcing authorities to postpone the election once again.

In the 16-member Thorrur municipality, the BRS had bagged nine seats while Congress secured seven seats. With the votes of Palakurthy MLA Yashaswini Reddy and Warangal MP Kadiyam Kaaviya (both ex officio members), the strength of Congress also rose to nine. The authorities decided the chairperson through a draw of lots. Congress’s Shravan was elected chairman.

BRS leaders led by former minister E. Dayakar Rao staged a protest over Kaaviya being allowed to cast a vote as ex-officio member. They argued that she is ineligible to cast a vote.

Dayakar Rao turned emotional after the BRS lost the election in draw of lots. He accused the ruling party of murdering democracy.

In the 30-member Jangaon, the BRS had won 13 wards while two independents had declared support to the party. With the vote of ex officio member and BRS MLA Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, the strength of BRS had increased to 16. The Congress had won 12 wards while its ally, the CPI, bagged one ward. Two independents also extended support to Congress. With the support of ex officio member and Bhongir MP Kiran Kumar Reddy, the ruling party also polled 16 votes. The winner was decided by a draw of lots. Balamani of Congress was elected Chairperson, while an independent was elected Vice-Chairperson with the support of the BRS.

With the victory in seven municipalities on Tuesday, the Congress tally has gone up to 91.

Elections were held for 116 municipalities on February 11 and results were declared on February 13.

The BRS took control of 18 municipalities while the BJP bagged one municipality.

Independent candidates were elected as Chairpersons of three municipalities.

Though Congress had secured a majority in 66 municipalities, its councillors were elected as Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons in another 25 municipalities with the support of other parties and independents.

Out of seven municipal corporations for which elections were held, along with 116 municipalities, the Congress bagged the posts of both Mayor and Deputy Mayor in four municipal corporations – Mahabubnagar, Mancherial, Nalgonda, and Ramagundam.

A CPI nominee was elected the Mayor of Kothagudem Municipal Corporation, while the Congress secured the post of Deputy Mayor. The two parties had won 22 seats each in the 60-member corporation.

In Nizamabad Municipal Corporation, the Congress candidate was elected Mayor, while AIMIM got the post of Deputy Mayor.

BJP captured the Karimnagar Municipal Corporation with the support of some independents.

–IANS

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