Jubilee Hills Byelection Turns Prestige Battle for All Parties as Campaigns Hit Fever Pitch

The nomination process for the Jubilee Hills Assembly by-election concluded on Tuesday, propelling major political parties into a frenzied campaign phase ahead of the November polling date. Triggered by the death of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA Maganti Gopinath in June, the contest has evolved into a high-stakes triangular battle among the ruling Congress, the opposition BRS, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). With Jubilee Hills—a posh urban constituency known for its mix of affluent residents, tech professionals, and a significant Muslim voter base—parties are deploying star campaigners, development promises, and targeted outreach to sway undecided voters. The outcome could foreshadow trends for the 2026 Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections, amplifying its symbolic importance in Telangana's volatile political landscape.

Congress, buoyed by its 2023 Assembly triumph that installed Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, has nominated Backward Classes (BC) candidate Naveen Yadav and launched an aggressive push to reclaim the seat from BRS. Reddy is personally spearheading the effort, viewing a victory as validation of his government's two-year tenure amid criticisms over unfulfilled promises like farm loan waivers and job creation. To consolidate Muslim support—crucial in the constituency's diverse demographics—the party has elevated former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin to the role of Member of Legislative Council (MLC), a move seen as a strategic nod to minority sentiments.

Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, D Sridhar Babu (not Vivek Venkataswamy as initially reported), and Thummala Nageswara Rao have accelerated infrastructure projects, including road repairs and park upgrades, even prior to the election notification. This follows Congress's recent win in the Secunderabad Cantonment byelection, aiming to solidify urban dominance in Hyderabad and quash BRS-fuelled rumours of internal rifts with the national high command. For newly appointed Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Mahesh Kumar Goud, a win would enhance his stature within the party's brass.

The BRS, desperate to stem its post-2023 slide marked by MLA defections and electoral drubbings in Assembly and Lok Sabha polls, has fielded Maganti Sunitha, the widow of the late Gopinath, in a bid to evoke sympathy and loyalty. Working President K T Rama Rao and former minister T Harish Rao are micromanaging the campaign, assigning MLAs, ex-ministers, and former corporators to cover every division with door-to-door canvassing. A key tactic involves distributing "Baki Cards"—symbolic debt ledgers highlighting alleged Congress failures on welfare schemes—to portray the ruling party as betraying public trust. Party insiders fear another Hyderabad loss could shatter cadre morale, especially after ceding ground in the 2024 Lok Sabha contests. Retaining Jubilee Hills is thus positioned as a moral victory, a "lesson" to Congress ahead of local body polls where BRS seeks revival.

Also Read: CM Revanth Reddy Moves to Enforce Parental Support Through Salary Deductions

The BJP, under new state president N Ramchander Rao, is leveraging the byelection to fortify its foothold in Union Minister G Kishan Reddy's Lok Sabha turf, renominating 2023 candidate Lankala Deepak Reddy despite a modest Assembly showing. Buoyed by improved Lok Sabha performance, the party anticipates its vote share—potentially 15-20%—could act as a kingmaker, splitting votes and tipping the scales. Independent contender Salman Khan, head of the Hyderabad Youth Courage organisation, adds intrigue with his appeals to Muslim youth through impassioned rallies, raising fears of a minority vote fragmentation that might inadvertently aid Congress. As campaigns intensify with rallies, social media blitzes, and celebrity endorsements, analysts predict a razor-thin margin, underscoring Jubilee Hills' role as a prestige battleground in Telangana's evolving power dynamics.

Also Read: Telangana Leaders Pay Heartfelt Tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Bapu Ghat