Will The ‘Hand’, Finally Rise Over Jubilee Hill Top

Telangana is awaiting the verdict in the Jubilee Hills by-election. Coming as it does on the eve of the Congress government’s second anniversary, the poll is widely seen as a referendum on the ruling dispensation. But beyond testing the government’s popularity, the outcome could reshape internal dynamics within the Congress. It is also likely to have a profound impact on the opposition—particularly the BRS, already grappling with a family feud that has weakened the party’s once formidable unity.

BRS Stronghold Even in Times of Setbacks

Jubilee Hills is one of the 24 Assembly segments in Greater Hyderabad, a region that has long remained the BRS’s urban stronghold. In the 2023 election, the party had won 16 of these seats even as it lost power in the state—an indication that Hyderabad continued to favour KCR’s leadership despite the statewide anti-incumbency wave. The bypoll, however, told a more complex story. The voter turnout, at just 48.42 percent—the lowest among the eight constituencies that went to polls on November 11—reflected a deepening urban apathy. The low participation also suggested that the contest may have failed to ignite strong political enthusiasm, either for the ruling Congress or for the BRS, signalling a possible fatigue among urban voters.

For the Congress, the Jubilee Hills verdict will serve as an important barometer of its performance in urban Telangana—an area where the party has historically struggled to build a strong base. A victory would reinforce the perception that the Congress government, led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, is gradually consolidating its hold beyond the rural and semi-urban belts that propelled it to power in 2023. It would also strengthen Revanth’s position within the party, especially against sections still uneasy about his leadership style and his aggressive bid to reshape the Congress’s organisational structure. Conversely, a setback would embolden his detractors and could reopen dormant factional debates within the party.

Crucial for CM Revant Reddy

Within the Congress, murmurs of dissent have begun to grow, with several ministers reportedly uneasy about Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s assertive leadership style. Speculation is rife that a cabinet reshuffle is on the cards, with Pradesh Congress Committee president Mahesh Kumar Goud being considered for induction into the ministry. Party insiders suggest that the move has the backing of a section within the Congress high command, which views it as a way to balance power between the organisation and the government. However, the proposal is said to have met with quiet resistance from Revanth, who reportedly fears that Goud’s inclusion could dent his authority and unsettle the fragile equilibrium within the party and his cabinet.

Survival battle for BRS

 For the BRS, already battling internal fissures within the KCR family a poor showing would further weaken morale and accelerate the perception of decline. However, if the party manages to hold the seat or post a respectable performance, it could help KTR reclaim some political ground and reassert his relevance in the post-defeat phase of Telangana politics.

In this context, the Jubilee Hills verdict assumes significance beyond its electoral arithmetic. A win would not only bolster Revanth Reddy’s image as a leader capable of delivering results but also give him the political capital to assert greater control over both the party and the government. It would allow him to silence detractors and reinforce his claim to be the Congress’s undisputed face in Telangana. Conversely, a setback could embolden rival factions within the party and provide the Congress High Command with the rationale to rework the power balance—possibly by pushing for Mahesh Kumar Goud’s inclusion in the cabinet. In effect, the bypoll result could determine whether Revanth consolidates his authority or faces renewed scrutiny from within.

Ever since the formation of Telangana, Jubilee Hills has remained a stronghold of the BRS and its earlier avatar, the TRS, making the current battle symbolically significant. For the Congress, a win here would mark not just a political gain but a psychological breakthrough in a constituency that has long eluded it.

Buoyed by the support of the AIMIM and encouraging exit poll trends, the party believes it has a realistic chance to rewrite the constituency’s political history. Interestingly, Congress candidate Naveen Yadav had contested the 2018 election as an independent with AIMIM’s backing. The BRS, on the other hand, has fielded Maganti Sunita, wife of the late Maganti Gopinath, whose death necessitated the bypoll. Her candidature seeks to evoke sympathy and consolidate the BRS’s traditional base, even as the party grapples with internal discord at the top.