Telangana Assembly elections 2018 results: TRS sweeps Telangana, KCR says 'ready for crucial role in national politics'

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), led by K Chandrasekhar Rao, has secured a thumping 3/4th majority in the Telangana Assembly elections 2018. The ruling party bagged 88 out of the 119 Assembly seats while the Congress-led Prajakutami won on just 21 seats. Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which had pledged its support to KCR, also won 7 seats while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to secure one seat.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president and Telangana caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao won from Gajwel constituency by over 50,000 votes.

Speaking after the remarkable performance in the elections, KCR told mediapersons that he was now ready to play an active role in Indian politics. "I spoke to other political parties, we are going to play a crucial role in national politics," he said.

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, who had pledged his support to the TRS even before the declaration of the results, congratulated KCR and said that latter "has all capabilities and capacities to ensure that a non-Congress government comes into existence".

He said, "I say this with all responsibility that K Chandrasekhar Rao has all capabilities and capacities to ensure that a non-Congress government comes into existence when the next Parliament elections take place and this country requires a non-Congress and a non-BJP government.

As the trends poured in, Telangana Congress chief N Uttam Kumar alleged that EVMs were rigged. However, the claim was rubbished by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). The Congress has also registered an official complaint in this regard with the Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana.

"The losing party always says the EVMs have been tampered with, this is absolutely false. Even the CEC in a press meeting yesterday said that it is not possible to tamper EVMs. People have given victory to TRS, what Congress is claiming is false," said Telangana Rashtra Samithi MP and K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K Kavitha.

Most of the exit polls for Telangana, where voter turnout was recorded at 73.20%, had suggested that incumbent Chief Minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao would retain power.

However, the Prajakutami – an alliance of Congress, Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS), had expressed confidence that it would form the government in the youngest state of India as the results will be in its favour.

The other party in the fray, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had also claimed that though it might not be in position form a government on its own in Telangana, but would play a “vital role” in the government formation.