BRS, Congress, BJP intensify Jubilee Hills bypoll campaign
HYDERABAD: The campaign for the Jubilee Hills Assembly bypoll which has drawn attention across the Telugu states has gathered pace, with major parties locked in an intense contest. The Bharata Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are the key contenders.
Polling is scheduled for November 11. With only a week left, top leaders are leading roadshows across the constituency. A total of 58 candidates are in the fray.
Parties focus on rival attacks, strategy and sympathy
From the BRS, Maganti Sunitha, wife of former MLA Maganti Gopinath, is contesting. Congress has fielded Naveen Yadav, while the BJP has nominated Lankala Deepak Reddy.
Several independent candidates, including those affected by land acquisition for the Regional Ring Road, unemployed youth, Pharma City protestors, and pensioners, filed nominations as a mark of protest against the government.
Despite its name, many Jubilee Hills voters do not actually reside in the area. The constituency was formed in 2000 and comprises seven GHMC divisions Shaikpet, Erragadda, Yousufguda, Borabanda, Rahmathnagar, Vengalrao Nagar and parts of Somajiguda.
Revanth leads Congress push, KTR drives BRS campaign
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has taken charge of the Congress campaign, planning four days of roadshows and two days of bike rallies. Two ministers have been assigned to oversee campaign management in each division, while MLAs have been tasked with 10 polling booths each.
From the BRS, K.T. Rama Rao is conducting roadshows, while former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao has held strategy meetings with senior leaders. Former minister T. Harish Rao is staying away due to bereavement.
Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy is leading the BJP campaign, which is positioning itself as an alternative to both Congress and BRS ahead of the upcoming GHMC elections.
Development, welfare and women voters at the centre
Congress is focusing on development and welfare, highlighting promises such as free bus travel for women, new ration cards, free power supply, ₹500 LPG cylinders and ₹100-crore development projects. Leaders believe Azharuddin’s ministerial role and minority outreach will work in their favour.
The BRS is countering with door-to-door campaigns under the banner of “Baki Card,” accusing Congress of failing to deliver on its six guarantees, including the ₹2,500 monthly assistance for women and the Kalyana Lakshmi and Tula Bharam schemes.
The BJP, meanwhile, is targeting anti-incumbency votes and aiming to consolidate minority-opposed sections. The party is running with the slogan that both BRS and Congress have failed Hyderabad.
