Hung verdict in six municipalities in erstwhile Adilabad

The civic poll results in erstwhile Adilabad district dealt a setback to the ruling Congress, which had predicted a strong performance. Six municipalities, including Adilabad and Bhainsa, delivered hung verdicts, leaving independents, BJP and AIMIM in decisive positions.

Adilabad: Results of elections to 10 municipalities and a single corporation of erstwhile Adilabad district presented a typical picture, almost dealing a blow to the ruling Congress which had predicted that it would be able to deliver a stand-out performance.

Six municipalities namely Asifabad, Kagaznagar, Bhainsa, Adilabad and Khanapur are hung with no single party achieving an absolute majority, while the ruling Congress was confined to four civic bodies and BRS-CPI bagged the Kyathanpalli municipality. Independents, BJP and AIMIM are set to play a decisive role in choosing the chairpersons of the five civic bodies.

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Both the Congress and BRS secured 14 wards each in the 34-member Bellampalli municipality. Five Independents won from Bellampalli, helping them to emerge as kingmakers here.

The BRS won nine wards, while Congress registered victory from seven wards of the 20-member newly created Asifabad civic body. Independents clinched four wards here placing them in a decisive position.

Congress leaders allegedly tried to abduct an independent candidate Vinod Kumar who won from Ward 1, using an auto-rickshaw. However, BRS cadres prevented them from taking away Vinod Kumar, resulting in tension. They alleged the Congress was poaching independents to get the civic body and cover up its poor show.

The BRS won 11 wards of the 30-member Kagaznagar municipality, while the Congress had to be content with nine wards. The BJP won five wards, while independents and AIMIM emerged victorious from four wards and a single ward here. This has given scope to build a coalition to win the civic body.

The Congress won 11 wards, while the BRS secured six wards of 49-member Adilabad municipality, one of the major civic bodies in erstwhile Adilabad district. However, the BJP emerged as the single largest force with 21 wards while independents bagged four wards.

The BJP and BRS won four wards each in the 12-member Khanapur municipality. Congress stood at second place with three wards. This has resulted in a hung verdict in the two civic bodies.

Meanwhile, AIMIM failed to reach the mandatory majority with 12 wards in the 26-member Bhainsa municipality, forcing it to rely on independents who won from seven wards to win the governing body. BJP became the second largest force with six wards, while Congress was restricted to a single ward.