Parties target caste equations in Jubilee Hills bypoll
HYDERABAD: The upcoming Jubilee Hills bypoll has turned into a prestige battle for the ruling Congress as well as the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with all three parties focusing sharply on caste-based voter mobilisation.
Political parties are going beyond promises and welfare assurances to micro-target social groups. Congress, BRS and BJP leaders are holding meetings with caste elders and assigning leaders from respective communities as in-charges to secure bloc votes.
According to official data, the constituency has 4,01,365 voters 2,08,561 men, 1,92,779 women and 25 others. Among them, Backward Classes account for about 1.34 lakh votes, Muslims 1.20 lakh, Kammas 22,746, Scheduled Castes 28,350 (Madigas 15,693, Malas 12,657), Reddys 17,641, and other communities around 50,000.
BRS banks on Kamma candidate Maganti Sunitha
With BRS fielding Kamma leader Maganti Sunitha, the party is banking on community support. Ministers and senior Kamma leaders, including Puvvada Ajay, are leading outreach events.
Congress, to counter this, has deployed Transport Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, also from the Kamma community, while neighbouring Serilingampally MLA Arekapudi Gandhi is said to be coordinating backchannel efforts.
Congress candidate Naveen Yadav is confident of sweeping Yadav votes, while BRS has roped in former minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav — Naveen’s relative — to influence the same voter base. BJP candidate Lanka Deepak Reddy, meanwhile, is focusing on consolidating Reddy votes with the support of Union Minister Kishan Reddy.
Minority votes crucial
Muslim voters, numbering about 1.20 lakh, have emerged as the decisive factor. Congress hopes to secure their backing, particularly with All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) indicating support. Naveen Yadav, who had previously contested on an AIMIM ticket and polled over 40,000 votes, is banking on this alliance.
BRS, which enjoyed strong Muslim backing during Maganti Gopinath’s tenure, is now trying to retain that support by engaging AIMIM leaders such as Mahmood Ali and Sohail.
Community feasts and outreach in Karthika month
With the bypoll coinciding with Karthika month, both BRS and Congress have planned community feasts and vanabhojanalu (outdoor gatherings) to woo caste groups. Congress has deployed three ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, Tummala Nageswara Rao, and Komatireddy Vivek along with 18 corporation chairpersons to coordinate social group-level engagement.
