In a significant political development, AIMIM candidate Mirza Riyaz Ul Hassan Effendi emerged victorious in the Hyderabad Local Authorities MLC elections, defeating BJP’s N Goutham Rao by a margin of 38 votes. The elections, held on Wednesday, saw a total of 112 eligible voters, out of which 88, including ex-officio members and MLAs, cast their votes. Effendi secured 63 votes, while his BJP rival managed to gather only 25.

This election marks a rare contest in the Hyderabad Local Authorities MLC constituency, where traditionally candidates have been elected unopposed. For the first time in 22 years, polling was held, signifying a break from the trend of unanimous selections. While the Congress and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) opted out citing lack of numbers, the BJP went ahead with its candidate despite having fewer assured votes, making the contest noteworthy.

The AIMIM’s decisive win underscores its continuing dominance in Hyderabad’s political landscape, particularly among local authority constituencies. The victory is also seen as a strategic win for the party, which has maintained a strong grassroots presence in the region. Political analysts view this development as a reaffirmation of AIMIM’s influence and a signal of its readiness to counter growing challenges from national parties like the BJP in urban strongholds.