jubilee-hills-by-poll-a-litmus-test-for-telangana-cm

The by-election to the Jubilee Hills assembly seat in the city — the first poll battle after last year’s general elections — will serve as a litmus test for Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s leadership and governance.

 

Not surprisingly, the Chief Minister is personally leading a high-voltage campaign on behalf of the ruling Congress, which is keen to establish its political dominance in the city, considered its weak area so far.

 

For nearly a week leading up to the polling, Reddy has thrown himself headlong into an intense campaign trail, participating in roadshows and street corner meetings across the constituency.

 

Coming just two years after Congress assumed power in Telangana, the by-poll result could serve as a referendum on his governance, potentially shaping public perception of his administration's performance, especially in the Hyderabad metropolitan region.

 

The high-profile constituency, home to several film stars, business leaders, and influencers, is going to the polls on Tuesday, and the result will be declared on November 14.

 

The assembly seat is held by the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), which had put up a strong showing in urban areas, particularly Hyderabad and its surroundings, in the previous assembly elections. The by-poll was necessitated following the death of sitting BRS lawmaker Maganti Gopinath on June 8 this year. His widow, Maganti Sunitha, is in the fray.

 

The outcome will be closely watched as it could significantly impact the course of Telangana politics in the coming months.

 

Crucial for BRS

 

For the BRS, Jubilee Hills is a key part of its stronghold in Greater Hyderabad. In the November 2023 assembly elections, the BRS swept nearly all the seats in the capital city, and losing Jubilee Hills would be a significant blow to the party's narrative of being the dominant force in the urban areas.

 

Out of 24 assembly constituencies falling under the GHMC limits, the BRS had won 16 seats, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) seven seats, and the BJP had won one seat. The Congress could not win even a single seat then.

 

The BRS is highlighting its development initiatives during its time in power, from 2014 to 2023, to counter the Congress's campaign. The election will be a test of BRS's organisational strength and its ability to mobilise its cadre without being in power. The regional party is currently going through an internal crisis following the exit of the patriarch K Chandrashekhar Rao’s daughter and K Kavitha, who raised a banner of revolt, accusing her cousins— former minister T Harish Rao and former Rajya Sabha MP Santosh Rao — of massive corruption and betrayal. Both are close confidants of KCR and form his inner circle of aides whom she dubbed as a ‘ring of devils’.

 

The ghosts of the past are also haunting the party that once dominated the state politics for over a decade before losing power in the November 2023 assembly polls. The recent developments, like the disclosure of the Justice PC Ghose Commission report on the irregularities in Kaleshwaram project, the exposure of thealleged telephone tapping scandal and the ACB inquiry into the Formula-E car race scam, caused a big setback to the BRS, denting the party’s image.

 

Focus on Muslim votes

 

Muslims, who constitute 30 per cent of the nearly 4 lakh voters in the constituency, hold the key to the outcome. Apparently, keeping this in view, the government recently inducted former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin into the cabinet.    

 

The victory in the recent Secunderabad Cantonment by-poll has given the Congress a much-needed boost and the confidence to challenge the BRS in what was considered its urban bastion.

 

A win in Jubilee Hills would further solidify the Congress's position and send a strong message ahead of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections.

 

The party is also banking on its welfare schemes and is reportedly conducting surveys to gauge public sentiment and the effectiveness of its promises.

 

Revanth Reddy’s “Congress means Muslims, and Muslims mean Congress” remark at a recent rally has come under attack not only from political rivals but also from within the party.

 

State BJP chief N Ramachander Rao accused the Congress of “communalising the campaign” and “inciting religious hatred.” “Telangana Congress is playing communal politics. They did not heed Muslims till now, but suddenly Azharuddin was made a minister. The maximum number of incidents of communal violence took place under the Congress’s rule, but they are still playing the Muslim card,” he said.

 

The issue escalated after senior Congress leader and advisor to the Telangana government Shabbir Ali, addressing worshippers at the Masjid-e-Kaneez Fatima in Ameerpet, appealed to Muslims to “recognise the power of their vote and the strength it brings to democracy.”

 

“Your vote is your existence. When you vote, you protect your rights, your representation, and your place in the system. If you stop voting, your strength will fade, and others will decide your future. We are nearly 13 per cent of Telangana’s population, but if we do not vote, our presence does not count. A community that remains silent during elections loses its voice for the next five years,” he said.

 

Also read: Congress will rule Telangana till 2034: CM Revanth Reddy