The efforts by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to enter the Urban Local Bodies has finally yielded result with its candidate winning in Hosapete City Municipal Council in the newly formed Vijayanagara district.
In the elections held to 58 urban local bodies (ULBs) in 20 districts of the State, the AAP secured the lone seat at Hospet with its candidate Shaikh Shah Wali winning in ward no. 22 of Hosapete CMC.
Mr. Wali secured 703 votes and registered a win against the Congress candidate by a margin of 71 votes. Among other candidates in the fray, three Independents secured 381, 359, and 293 votes respectively, pushing the BJP candidate, with 61 votes, to the last position.
While there were 4,515 voters in the ward, only 61% (2,759) voted. Mr. Wali secured 25% (703 votes) of the votes cast.
Mohammad Nasir, a local AAP member, told The Hindu that Mr. Wali, who belongs to the semi-nomadic tribe Helavaru, was chosen by community elders to contest as the AAP candidate largely because development issues in their area were ignored.
Successive governments have neglected the Helavaru community. Due to the alleged failure of the State Government in providing facilities and amenities to the tribal community, they decided to vote collectively for the AAP candidate, he said.
A farmer, Mr. Wali joined the AAP eight months ago.
