GHMC Election 2020 LIVE Updates: Our Fight is With People Trying to Change Hyderabad, Says Owaisi; 8.9% Voting till 11am

Asserting that the people of Telangana are angry and upset with the ruling TRS in Telangana and Owaisi's "alliance", Union Home Minister and top BJP leader Amit Shah on Sunday predicted this time Hyderabad will elect a BJP Mayor in the city's civic polls. Shah, who offered prayers at the Bhagyalakshmi Devi Temple in Old City here, said the people of Hyderabad want good governance and they have belief in PM Narendra Modi's leadership and the BJP.

3.96 percent votes were filed till 9 pm across the four districts going for the elections. Picture shows senior citizens casting their vote in GHMC elections.

The total number of contesting candidates is 1,122. The Telangana State Election Commission (SEC) has made elaborate arrangements for the balloting process by deploying 48,000 (including reserve) polling personnel and 52,500 strong police force.

Amit Shah, Yogi and Tejaswi Surya Among Key Campaigners | Top leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party president JP Nadda, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Ministers Prakash Javadekar, Smriti Irani and MoS (Home) G Kishan Reddy, who is Lok Sabha member from Secunderabad, party MP and BJYM national president Tejaswi Surya participated in the campaign.

Last Year's Seat Tally | A total of 1,122 candidates are contesting the civic body election across 150 divisions, spread over four districts in Hyderabad. In the last elections in 2016, the ruling TRS had won 99 seats, AIMIM had won 44, the BJP won four, the Congress won two and the Telugu Desam Party managed to get one seat.

3.1 percent Turnout Recorded at 9 am | The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Bharatiya Janata Party, AIMIM, Telugu Desam Party and Congress are contesting the elections. However, the direct contest is between the TRS, BJP and the AIMIM. Till 9 am, 3.10 percent voter turnout was recorded in the GHMC Elections.

In view of the precautions made for Covid-19, polling booths have been sanitised and social distancing is being followed. Sanitising hands and face masks is compulsory during the voting. Visual shows Anjani Kumar IPS Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad city cast his vote in Ward No 83, GHMC Sports complex, Amberpet in Hyderabad.

Actor Chiranjeevi Casts Vote in Hyderabad | Megastar Chiranjeevi And His Wife cast his vote in GHMC Elections. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also cast his vote at the St Faiz High School in Hyderabad. Telangana minister and TRS leader KT Rama Rao were also seen exercising his franchise.

Election Gone Beyond Civic Issues? | 74 lakh eligible voters to participate in the election today in Hyderabad. The election witnessed a fierce campaign by the BJP and TRS as electoral issues have gone beyond roads, sanitation, water supply, street lights, drainage and basic civic infrastructure, to whether Hyderabad wants its name changed to Bhagyanagar, and also if Telangana needs a new ruling party.

Asserting that the people of Telangana are angry and upset with the ruling TRS in Telangana and Owaisi's "alliance", Union Home Minister and top BJP leader Amit Shah on Sunday predicted this time Hyderabad will elect a BJP Mayor in the city's civic polls. Shah, who offered prayers at the Bhagyalakshmi Devi Temple in Old City here, said the people of Hyderabad want good governance and they have belief in PM Narendra Modi's leadership and the BJP.

Will Make Hyderabad Free of Nizam Culture: Amit Shah | Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday assured that the party would make Hyderabad a global IT hub, a modern city and free from "Nizam culture" if voted to power in the December 1 civic polls. He also exuded confidence that Hyderabad would have a BJP Mayor after the GHMC polls and that the saffron party would form the government in Telangana after the next Assembly elections.

Fierce Campaign by Rivals- TRS and BJP | The TRS and BJP leaders engaged in a war of words attacking each other during the poll campaign. BJP's Telangana president Bandi Sanjay Kumar found himself in a row following his comments that his party would conduct a "surgical strike" in the old city here to send away Rohingyas and Pakistanis after it wins the post of Mayor in the polls. AIMIM's Akbaruddin Owaisi in a poll campaign earned the wrath of his opponents by asking whether the 'samadhis' of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao and TDP founder N T Rama Rao, built on the Hussain Sagar lake bank, would be removed as he questioned the eviction drive against "poor people" residing near water bodies. The counting of votes will be taken up on December 4.

The ancient idols of our gods and goddess are symbols of our faith and also invaluable heritage, he said, adding that had similar efforts been made earlier, the country could have got much more of its…

Owaisi Casts Vote in Hyderabad Local Polls | AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi casts his vote for Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. "I appeal to the people of Hyderabad to cast their vote today to strengthen democracy," Owaisi said.

Amit Shah Promises Goog Governance | Addressing a press conference on the last day of campaigning, Amit Shah appealed to the people to give an opportunity to the BJP and said his party would make ready all infrastructure to ensure Hyderabad becomes a global IT hub. He promised good governance and implementation of PM Modi led government's policies in Hyderabad as he accused Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao and the TRS regime of indulging in corruption and failing to fulfill their promises. Visual shows St Faiz High School, in Hyderabad, that has been designated as a polling booth. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi will cast his vote at this booth. 

The TRS' campaign was led by its Working President and state Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao, while party supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao addressed a public meeting. The state's ruling party has deployed several state ministers and legislators for canvassing in the city. The Congress campaign was led by its state president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Working President A Revanth Reddy and other senior leaders.

Voting Begins, Kishan Reddy Casts His Vote | The BJP highlighted the TRS' "alliance" with the AIMIM and sought votes to provide clean and transparent governance in the city. The TRS, however, denied any alliance with the AIMIM. Meanwhile MoS (Home) G Kishan Reddy casts his vote for Hyderabad local polls. 

Amit Shah, Yogi and Tejaswi Surya Among Key Campaigners | Top leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party president JP Nadda, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Ministers Prakash Javadekar, Smriti Irani and MoS (Home) G Kishan Reddy, who is Lok Sabha member from Secunderabad, party MP and BJYM national president Tejaswi Surya participated in the campaign.

Over 74 lakh voters will decide the political fortunes of 1,122 candidates in 150 divisions in one of the most bitterly fought polls for any municipal body in recent times.

High Decibel Campaign for Polls | The run-up to the polling witnessed a high decibel and often acrimonious campaign. Buoyed by its victory in the recent bypoll to Dubbak Assembly constituency, the BJP conducted a powerful campaign to win the GHMC polls. It has drafted its General Secretary Bhupendra Yadav, who has been it's incharge for Bihar, to supervise the preparation for the poll in Hyderabad. 

Polling to Begin at 7 am | The polling would begin at 7 am and come to an end at 6 pm. The total number of contesting candidates is 1,122. The Telangana State Election Commission (SEC) has made elaborate arrangements for the balloting process by deploying 48,000 (including reserve) polling personnel and 52,500 strong police force.

Polling to Hyderabad Civic Polls Today | The stage is set for polling on Tuesday in the Hyderabad civic polls which witnessed a high decibel campaign resembling an Assembly or parliamentary election with top leaders from different parties participating in the electioneering. As many as 74,44,260 voters would exercise their franchise using ballot papers to elect their representatives in the 150-ward Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, according to official data.