HYDERABAD: Early trends in the Telangana Municipal Corporation elections on Friday indicated that the Congress was leading in 430 wards, while the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) was ahead in 222 wards as counting began across 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations in the state. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was in third place, leading in 61 wards, with other parties and independents ahead in 59 wards, according to news agency ANI.These trends emerged after vote counting for the Telangana Municipal Corporation elections commenced earlier in the day. The police and the Election Commission of India (ECI) had made arrangements for counting at centres across Telangana.Elections were held on Wednesday in seven Municipal Corporations and 116 Municipalities across the state, covering 414 wards in the Corporations of Kothagudem, Karimnagar, Mahabubnagar, Mancherial, Nizamabad, Nalgonda, and Ramagundam, and 2,582 wards in the 116 municipalities.District Magistrate of Warangal Satya Sharda said counting began at 8 am. She added that the counting of postal ballots was currently underway, with four tables set up in Wardhannapet and ten tables in Narsampet.“In Warangal district, today, counting of votes began at 8 am. Right now, postal ballot counting has started and in Wardhannapet, there are 4 tables arranged and in Narsampet, 10 tables. We will issue the results as soon as counting is complete. Everything is in accordance with the Election Commission’s norms. As and when the results come ward-wise, we will be declaring,” said ShardaEarlier, Telangana BJP President N Ramchander Rao expressed confidence that the party would win a significant number of seats, saying the people of Telangana were likely to give a “big mandate” to the Bharatiya Janata Party.Rao stated, “Last time we had around 330 municipal councillors and corporators and three chairmen. But this time, I am sure the people of Telangana will give a big mandate to the Bharatiya Janata Party. We are hopeful that we will fare better and we will be the alternative to the Congress party.”
