MP Rabindranath
Politics in Telangana has never lacked drama, but the unfolding script in the Jubilee Hills bypoll could easily pass off as a tragicomedy — especially for the ruling Congress. Having strutted with self-congratulation over its “model” 42% BC reservation policy, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy suddenly finds himself red-faced after the Supreme Court unceremoniously struck it down. And like any politician cornered by the consequences of his own overreach, Revanth is now crying hoarse that the BRS is “splitting votes to help the BJP.” In other words, he’s already explaining defeat before polling even begins.
For a party that stormed to power a year ago, this air of nervousness is telling. The Congress government seems to be walking on political quicksand — surviving only on the hope that the AIMIM decision to stay away from the bypoll and that Muslim votes will automatically consolidate behind it. It’s a familiar pattern: when in trouble, outsource survival to the minority vote bank.
The irony? Jubilee Hills is no easy battlefield. It is one of Hyderabad’s most diverse and politically volatile constituencies — urban, aspirational, and sharply divided across community lines. The BRS, despite its ongoing internal feuds, continues to command loyalty among the urban middle class and the Andhra settlers who once formed its backbone. The BJP, though still a distant third in many parts of the city, has steadily built a credible base — particularly under the watch of Union Minister and State BJP chief G. Kishan Reddy, for whom this contest is a personal prestige fight.
The Congress has fielded V. Naveen Yadav, a BC leader who has been everywhere and nowhere — AIMIM in 2014, independent in 2019, and now the Congress’ best bet. His record doesn’t exactly inspire confidence: he polled 41,656 votes in 2014 (as AIMIM) and a much lower 18,817 in 2019 (as independent). The BRS has reposed faith in Sunitha Gopinath, widow of the late MLA Maganti Gopinath, whose personal sympathy factor could fetch some crucial votes. The BJP has nominated its Hyderabad city unit president, Deepak Reddy, who finished third last time with 25,866 votes — but now returns stronger, buoyed by the party’s growing urban presence and the “double engine” pitch that resonates with Andhra settlers.
The numbers here matter. Jubilee Hills has around 3.9 lakh voters, including roughly 1 lakh Muslims. AIMIM’s decision — not to contest — could swing the outcome significantly in their favour… But the bigger question is whether the Muslim voter — known for political pragmatism — will invest in a Congress that looks shaky, divided, and desperate.
For the BJP, this bypoll presents more than just an opportunity — it’s a platform to test its urban appeal before the crucial local body polls scheduled for November 11. The TDP’s visible warmth toward the BJP-led NDA at the Centre, under Chandrababu Naidu’s “double engine sarkar” enthusiasm, could translate into meaningful support from Andhra settlers — a demographic that often determines who wins this elite seat.
Meanwhile, the Congress is deploying its entire war cabinet: Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, and even old guard names like Renuka Chowdhury — remembered more for her public sparring with the late P. Janardhan Reddy than for electoral victories. In contrast, the BJP’s counterfire power comes in the form of Union Ministers Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay, with possible campaign cameos from TDP’s Nara Lokesh and Jana Sena’s Pawan Kalyan. Expect the stage to be loud, colourful, and occasionally chaotic — Telangana-style.
Yet beneath all the noise lies a sobering reality: this bypoll is not just about one constituency. It’s a referendum on Revanth Reddy’s first year in office — on his governance, his overconfident rhetoric, and his uneasy relationship with both allies and bureaucrats. His Supreme Court debacle has punctured the Congress’ “BC champion” narrative. His constant finger-pointing at the BRS betrays insecurity. And his overreliance on minority consolidation underscores just how fragile his majority feels, even in the capital’s heart.
If the Congress loses Jubilee Hills, it won’t just be another seat gone — it will mark the beginning of a larger erosion in Telangana’s urban psyche. The party that promised a “new Telangana” could find itself facing an old truth: that borrowed slogans and minority arithmetic are no substitute for credible leadership and grounded politics.
Revanth Reddy may still talk of “model policies” and “moral victories.” But for now, it seems the only model Congress is offering the nation is how to lose confidence before the votes are even cast.
