Congress workers and supporters celebrate the party's lead during counting of votes for Telangana Assembly elections, outside Gandhi Bhavan in Hyderabad, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023.
Credit: PTI Photo
Hyderabad: In a significant political twist, the Congress party has won the Assembly elections in Telangana, ending the 10-year rule of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). The Congress took solace in the win after crushing defeats in the Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.
Factors such as anti-incumbency, voter fatigue, and dissatisfaction among the youth are believed to have contributed to the poor showing of the BRS in the youngest state of India. The party's decision to renominate most of the 119 MLAs also did not yield the desired results.
The Congress continued to lead right from the morning as the counting began on Sunday. At the end of the day, Congress won 64 seats, four more than the magic figure of 60 that is required to form the government.
While MIM continued its stranglehold on the old city by retaining all seven seats, BJP improved its performance by winning eight seats and putting up a decent show in a few more seats in North Telangana. A majority of ministers in the KCR cabinet however lost their seats. While the margins of Congress winners were huge, BRS candidates won with thin margins.
It was only in the greater Hyderabad region, which has 29 assembly seats, that BRS did well and won 17 seats. In other regions, BRS faltered especially in north Telangana which was considered as bastion of the ruling party.
"I dedicate this victory to the martyrs of Telangana, who laid down their lives in the struggle for separate statehood. I thank Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and AICC president Mallikharuna Kharge for reposing faith in us. From now on, the gates of the secretariat will always be open to the common man. Pragathi Bhavan will be renamed as Dr BR Ambedkar Praja Bhavan. We will strive to revive democracy in Telangana. I acknowledge the wishes extended by BRS working president KT Rama Rao on our victory. I hope BRS will play a constructive role as an Opposition party. It's a team effort and victory,” said PCC chief A Revanth Reddy after the results were announced.
By afternoon as it became clear that the Congress was winning, the incumbent BRS conceded defeat. KCR stepped down as the Chief Minister of Telangana and sent his resignation to the Governor. The Governor accepted his resignation and requested him to continue in office until the formation of the new government.
BRS working president, KTR, said they humbly accept the mandate given by the voters and thanked supporters and party workers who were with them in the journey over the last 10 years. He hoped that BRS would bounce back in no time.