The Jubilee Hills byelection, necessitated by the sudden and sad demise of popular MLA Maganti Gopinath, has become a contest charged with sentiment and symbolism. The BRS has fielded Gopinath’s wife, banking heavily on the goodwill he built over three consecutive terms. His widow and two daughters have taken it upon themselves to ensure that his legacy lives on among the people he served with sincerity and visible results.
For now, Gopinath’s family name is her strongest campaign card — a guarantee of continuity and commitment that may outweigh the “Baki card” that the BRS is distributing as part of its attack on the Revanth Reddy government’s failures. One of Gopinath’s daughters, canvassing door to door despite a fractured foot, has drawn admiration — a reflection of her father’s indomitable spirit.
Interestingly, though Gopinath belonged to the Kamma community, he never displayed the ostentation often associated with its affluent sections. Living in a modest home and leading a simple life, he stood closer in spirit to the old-school, ideologically driven leaders from the same community who once aligned with Leftist ideals. The constituency, meanwhile, is a mix — a large segment of forward communities, followed by Muslims, backward classes, and scattered groups of SCs and STs, along with a small but influential non-Telugu business community.
The Congress, on the other hand, has fielded the son of a “notorious father,” and both enjoy a reputation that borders on notoriety but doesn’t seem to dent their popularity. In today’s politics, it’s hardly news when a rowdy-sheeter gets a ticket; notoriety often translates to visibility and “winnability.” By contrast, an honest and humble leader’s candidature evokes sympathy — not votes.
The BJP is yet to announce its candidate, while the TDP has quietly stepped aside, evidently to maintain its renewed understanding with the saffron party. Naturally, Chandrababu Naidu would prefer not to rub the BJP the wrong way at this juncture.
The strange part of this election is that both the BJP and Congress are accused of being unholy romantic partners, while the Congress simultaneously claims that the BRS and the BJP are strange bedfellows. This political ménage à trois played out in the previous Assembly and Parliament elections, leaving voters unsure who was sleeping with whom — politically speaking. The results, however, revealed that the Congress–BJP tacit understanding worked more effectively, with the BRS suffering a severe drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls.
The defeat of the BRS was, in fact, irrefutable proof that it stood equidistant from both national parties — until recently. Today, the BRS seems more accommodating toward the Congress government, even as Rahul Gandhi remains Modi’s favorite punching bag in Delhi. The “chhota bhai bada bhai” syndrome between KTR and Revanth Reddy appears to be functioning rather smoothly in Hyderabad.
If this invisible nexus holds, a Congress victory in Jubilee Hills will not surprise anyone. But if KTR and Harish Rao manage to swing it in favour of the BRS, it would indeed be breaking news.
The poor and Muslim voters seem inclined toward the BRS, while the rich and middle-class sections — typically indifferent to local polls — could tilt the outcome by their abstention. The Kamma vote may split, with some following Chandrababu Naidu’s tacit cues and others voting on personal conscience. The Reddy community appears divided between the Congress and the BRS.
If the BJP’s romance with the Congress continues, its eventual candidate will be nothing more than a dummy runner aiding Navin Yadav’s prospects. With no dark horse emerging before the close of nominations, the decks are nearly clear.
As things stand, the Jubilee Hills byelection promises a photo finish, much like the legendary Malakpet horse races, where fortunes are decided in the final frame.
