Telangana Assembly polls: K Chandrasekhar Rao’s TRS wins in a landslide

Here’s how the counting day unfolded:

10.55 pm: The Nationalist Congress Party says the BJP’s poor performance in five states is the result of its “arrogance”, PTI reports. The party says the result portend a loss for the BJP in the 2019 General Elections.

“These results clearly indicate that people do not believe in the communal forces,” Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar tweets. “What they really want is peace and progress.”

10.46 pm: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has congratulated K Chandrasekhar Rao for his victory in the state, the Telangana Chief Minister’s Office said according to PTI. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has also congratulated Rao.

10.41 pm: Telangana Rashtra Samithi has won 88 seats in the state, ANI reports. Congress has finished with 19 seats, AIMIM with seven. Telugu Desam Party won just two seats.

10 pm: Narendra Modi tweets that he “accepts the people’s mandate with humility”. He congratulates the winners and thanks BJP workers for their hard work. “Today’s results will further our resolve to serve people and work even harder for the development of India.”

9.12 pm: The All India Anna Munnetra Kazhagam says the mood of the people for the 2019 polls cannot be judged on the basis of the Assembly poll results. “The situation keeps changing,” Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar says. “These are state Assembly polls. Nobody can predict the mood of the people for Parliamentary polls... the heart of the people is like a deep mine.”

8.20 pm: BJP MLA T Raja Singh, who has often made controversial statements in the past, is the only candidate from the saffron party to win in Telangana. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath had campaigned for him in Goshamahal constituency.

8.10 pm: “We have defeated BJP in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh,” Congress President Rahul Gandhi says. “We are going to provide these states a government they can be proud of.” He adds that he congratulates the winners of the Telangana and Mizoram elections – where the Congress lost.

7.48 pm: Here is how the electoral map of Telangana looks after the declaration of results in the majority of seats. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi has won in a landslide, trouncing the Congress-TDP alliance and the BJP.

7.37 pm: Telangana Jana Samiti President M Kodandaram, whose party was in an alliance with the Congress, congratulates K Chandrasekhar Rao. “We hope the new government would adhere to the constitutional values and nurture democracy in the State, and ensure equitable opportunity for all sections of the society,” he adds.

7.12 pm: Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan calls the election results “The first sign of a new beginning”. “This is the people’s verdict,” he says.

6.58 pm: The state Congress has demanded that all Value Verified Paper Audit Trail machines used in the polls be counted again, PTI reports. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee President N Uttam Kumar Reddy also claims that the Election Commission earlier refused to accept this demand of the party.

“The whole Telangana society has doubts on EVMs,” Reddy claims. “Why is the EC is not counting every paper trail linked to electronic voting machines? We have to say Election Commission is murdering democracy along with Rao.”

6.52 pm: “Democracy has won!” tweets Congress. “Thank you India, you have chosen love over hate, peace over violence and truth over lies. This victory is yours.”

6.43 pm: Telugu Desam Party chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu says the party will “respect the verdict of the people”, PTI reports. “My compliments to Chandrasekhar Rao,” he adds. However, Naidu says the results of the five Assembly polls show that people want an alternative to the BJP.

6.05 pm: “Modi ki ulti ginti shuru ho gayi [Modi has started counting BJP seats backwards for the 2019 elections],” claims Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

5.58 pm: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh calls the Congress’ wins the “beginning of the end of Modi government”, PTI reports. “The results have clearly shown that the people of India were now fed up of the destructive and anti-development policies of the Narendra Modi Government and want a positive change,” he says. ““The results are a sign of the mood of the nation, which saw in Rahul the youthful change it needed to bring India back on the track of development, which had been the hallmark of the previous UPA regime under former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.”

5.56 pm: Congress leader Kapil Sibal claims that the Congress’ victory in three states is a “victory of humanity”. “This is the victory of Rahul Gandhi, our party, workers, people, and the fight against scams,” he adds.

5.52 pm: “The Modi wave will never recede,” claims Tamil Nadu BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan according to The Indian Express. “The result is just a setback, it’s not a defeat. People still want Narendra Modi to continue as prime minister and they don’t prefer Rahul Gandhi, and we have not suffered a huge defeat in any of the states.” She adds that Congress always complains about faulty EVMs when the BJP wins, and asks what the party will say now.

5.32 pm: Asaduddin Owaisi says Rao has “all capacities and capabilities” to ensure that a non-Congress government comes to power after the 2019 General Elections. “This country requires a non-Congress, non-BJP government,” he adds.

5.08 pm: Rao says Telangana Rashtra Samithi will now actively participate in national politics, ANI reports. “I spoke to other political parties, we are going to play a crucial role in national politics,” he tells reporters.

4.18 pm: Caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao arrives at the Telangana Rashtra Samithi party headquarters in Hyderabad. Reports say he won from the Gajwel constituency. The Election Commission, however, is yet to declare the winner.

3.26 pm: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu says his Telugu Desam Party respects the mandate of the people, ANI reports. Naidu’s party is part of a pre-poll alliance led by the Congress. “People recognise that the BJP has done nothing in last five yrs and are moving towards an alternative,” Naidu tells reporters. “People are with us in our fight against the BJP.”

3.07 pm: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah congratulates Telangana’s caretaker Industries Minister and TRS leader KT Rama Rao after poll panel data shows him in the lead in the Sircilla constituency. “All the best for the next five years,” tweets Abdullah.

3.05 pm: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen candidate Akbaruddin Owaisi wins from Chandrayangutta, reports PTI. The poll panel is yet to confirm the development.

3 pm: Telangana Rashtra Samithi candidate Hanmanth Shinde wins in Jukkal, says Election Commission.

2.57 pm: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party leader N Chandrababu Naidu congratulates his rival and Telangana caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Twitter after the poll panel shows the Telangana Rashtra Samithi in the lead. “Congratulating KCR garu for wining the Assembly elections in Telangana,” Naidu tweets. Naidu is part of the Congress-led “praja kutami [people’s alliance]”.

2.57 pm: Telangana Rashtra Samithi minister and Siddipet candidate says Tuesday is a historic day for the state and party. “There is no Congress or BJP in Telangana,” Hindustan Times quotes Rao as saying. “People have reimposed faith in KCR’s leadership. We will re-dedicate ourselves to the welfare of Telangana people.”

2.55 pm: Telangana caretaker minister and TRS candidate Talasani Srinivas Yadav wins from Sanath Nagar, ANI reports. The Election Commission is yet to confirm the development.

2.48 pm: Caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will address reporters at 4.15 pm on Tuesday.

2.41 pm: Election Commission declares Telangana Rashtra Samithi candidates Ravi Shankar Sunke and Kalvakuntla Vidyasagar Rao winners in Choppadandi and Koratla.

2.40 pm: All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s Bahadurpura Mohammed Moazam Khan wins, poll panel says.

2.21 pm: Election Commission declares Telangana Rashtra Samithi winner in two constituencies. The poll panel says the TRS is leading in 84, Congress in 21, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen in 6, BJP in two, Telugu Desam Party in 2 and independents and the All India Forward Bloc in 1 each.

2.20 pm: Caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao wins Gajwel constituency, ANI reports. The Election Commission is yet to confirm the development.

2.17 pm: Telugu Desam Party says the Congress-led alliance needs to “analyse and introspect” on its failure, PTI reports. “We have to analyse the factors that contributed to the success of TRS and failure of our alliance,” says Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy, senior TDP, led leader. “We expected to win more seats.”

2.13 pm: Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ally in Maharashtra and at the Centre, says the results of the Assembly polls in the five states is a message that the BJP should introspect on its decisions, PTI reports.

2.09 pm: Communist Party of India accuses the Telangana Rashtra Samithi of distributing money and liquor to bribe voters, PTI reports. CPI General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy says the Telangana Rashtra Samithi’s lead is a “technical victory and not a moral one”. The CPI says the result was not expected.

2 pm: Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader and incumbent Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao wins Siddipet constituency for the sixth consecutive term, The News Minute reports. Rao is caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s nephew.

1.32 pm: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee submits complaint alleging the “manipulation of electronic voting machines” used in the Assembly polls to the Telangana Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar. The Congress demands a counting of all the voter verifiable paper audit trail machines in the state before the declaration of the election results.

12.59 pm: Telangana Rashtra Samithi is now leading in 88 constituencies, Congress in 21, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen in 5, BJP in 2, Telugu Desam Party in 2, and All India Forward Bloc in 1, says Election Commission.

12.38 pm: Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader AP Jithender Reddy says the party’s lead in the elections was expected. “The people have accepted the [welfare] schemes [initiated by the government], the infrastructure that has been built, 24-hour power supply and timely pensions,” Reddy tells PTI.

12.30 pm: Home Minister and BJP leader Rajnath Singh says the Congress-led alliance in Telangana was heading towards a “huge defeat”, PTI reports. He congratulates winning parties and candidates.

12.28 pm: Telangana Rashtra Samithi MP and caretaker Chief Minister KCR’s daughter Kavita Kalvakuntla downplays allegations made by the Congress about a possible tampering of the electronic voting machines used in the Assembly polls, ANI reports. “The losing party always says the EVMs have been tampered with, this is absolutely false,” says Kavitha. “Even the chief election commissioner said that it is not possible to tamper with the EVMs.”

12.25 pm: Election Commission updates counting trends with Telangana Rashtra Samithi leading in 91 constituencies, Congress in 17, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen in 6, BJP in 2, Telugu Desam Party in 2 and the All India Forward Bloc in 1.

12.24 pm: KT Rama Rao, caretaker industries minister and son of caretaker Chief Minister KCR, thanks voters after Election Commission data shows him leading in the counting trends in Sircilla. “Thanks Telangana for keeping the faith in KCR Garu and giving us another opportunity to serve you,” the industries minister tweeted.

12.16 pm: Telangana Congress chief Uttam Kumar Reddy alleges irregularities in the election process. “We suspect a possible tampering with the electronic voting machines,” Reddy tells ANI. “The slips should be counted in voter verifiable paper audit trail machines.” Reddy says Congress leaders will submit complaints to the returning officers and Election Commission.

12.13 pm: The Election Commission revises counting trends to show Telangana Rashtra Samithi leading in 87 constituencies, Congress in 20, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen in 6, BJP in 2, Telugu Desam Party in 2 and the All India Forward Bloc in 1.

11.51 am: KT Rama Rao, industries minister and the caretaker chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s son, is leading with 70,208 in Sircilla constituency. He has an edge of 53,286 votes over Congress candidate Kondam Karuna Reddy.

11.50 am: K Chandrasekhar Rao is leading by 27,281 votes over his closest rival Congress candidate Vanteru Pratap Reddy in Gajwel constituency, the Election Commission said. Rao currently has 53,610 votes.

11.38 am: Telangana Rashtra Samithi is leading in 89 constituencies, Congress in 16, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen in five, Telugu Desam Party in two and BJP in 1, says Election Commission of India.

11.25 am: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi is leading in 90 constituencies, Congress in 20 and BJP in one, according to NDTV.

11.20 am: Telangana BJP president K Laxman trailing in Musheerabad, PTI reports.

11.15 am: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi is leading in 90 of the state’s 119 constituencies, PTI reports. The Congress is at a distant second with a lead in 15 seats and its ally the Telugu Desam Party in one. The AIMIM, which has offered its support to Rao’s TRS, is leading in five. The BJP is leading four constituencies.

10.30 am: Telangana caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is leading by 9,212 votes over Congress rival Vanteru Pratap Reddy in Gajwel constituency after the fifth round of counting, PTI reports.

10.23 am: KT Rama Rao, TRS minister and son of caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, is leading in Sircilla by 15,096 votes after the third round of counting, PTI reports.

10.22 am: Telangana Rashtra Samithi is leading in 82, Congress in 25 and BJP in 6 constituencies, reports NDTV.

10.18 am: Bharatiya Janata Party candidates Kishen Reddy and Raja Singh are leading in Amberpet and Goshamahal, reports The News Minute.

10.12 am: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen candidate Akbaruddin Owaisi is leading in Chandrayangutta.

9.59 am: Congress state chief Uttam Kumar Reddy is leading in Huzurnagar.

9.49 am: KT Rama Rao, son of the caretaker chief minister and minister, is leading in Sircilla.

9.48 am: Congress candidate Padmavati Reddy is trailing in Kodad.

9.47 am: Telangana Rashtra Samithi MP and the caretaker chief minister’s daughter Kavitha Kalvakuntla expresses confidence in the party being voted back to power, ANI reports. “We believe that the people of Telangana are with us,” Kavitha says. “We have worked sincerely and utilised the opportunity given to us. So I believe voters will bring us back to power, and that too independently. We are very confident about it.”

9.45 am: TRS is leading 80 constituencies, Congress in 26 and BJP in six, reports NDTV.

9.30 am: Congress candidate Anumula Revanth Reddy is trailing in Kondagal constituency.

9.20 am: Telugu Desam Party candidate and granddaughter of the party’s founder NT Rama Rao Nandamuri Suhasini is leading in her home constituency of Kukatpally.

9.15 am: Telangana Rashtra Samithi is leading in 12 constituencies, Congress in 1, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen in 1 and an independent candidate in one constituency, says Election Commission.

9.14 am: Congress candidate Konda Surekha is trailing in her home constituency of Parkal.

9.13 am: Telangana candidate Talasani Srinivas Yadav is leading in Sanath Nagar.

9.10 am: Telangana Rashtra Samithi is leading in 67 constituencies, Congress in 21 and BJP in three, reports NDTV.

9.09 am: Harish Rao, who served as the irrigation minister in KCR’s government, is leading in Siddipet.

9.08 am: Telangana Rashtra Samithi candidate Danem Nagendar is leading in Khairatabad.

9.04 am: Caretaker Chief Minster K Chandrasekhar Rao leads in Gajwel constituency, The News Minute reports.

8.51 am: Telangana Rashtra Samithi leads in 36, Congress in 18 and BJP in 3, reports NDTV.

8.43 am: Telangana Rashtra Samithi leading in 20 constituencies, Congress in 13 and BJP in one, reports NDTV.

8.24 am: Early leads are being predicted by some television news channels. According to NDTV, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi is leading in four constituencies and Congress in two.

8.15 am: Congress leader Sravan Dasoju says the party’s winning candidates will be relocated to the Park Hyatt Hotel, The News Minute reports. “We do not want to take the risk of poaching by the TRS,” Dasoju said.

8.05 am: Security has been deployed across Hyderabad.

8.03 am: Officials open postal votes first.

8.02 am: Counting of votes begins at 44 counting centres in Telangana.

7.45 am: The Election Commission has deployed a total of 3,360 counting staff personnel along with 1,916 micro observers, The News Minute reports.

7.30 am: The Congress-led alliance had on Monday submitted documents informing Governor Narasimhan about its pre-poll alliance with the Telugu Desam Party, Communist Party of India, and Telangana Jana Samithi. The “Prajakutami” alliance asked to be treated as a single entity in the event that it is declared as the largest entity.