Hyderabad: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is setting its sights on expanding its influence in the Telangana Legislative Council by announcing candidates for three constituencies ahead of the poll schedule announcement by the Election Commission.
This proactive approach has caught both the ruling Congress and the main opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) off guard.
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BJP’s Candidates and Strategy
The BJP has unveiled its candidates for the Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar Graduates’ constituency, Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Teachers’ constituency, and Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar Teachers’ constituency. These seats are currently held by Congress and Independent candidates.
- Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar Graduates’ Constituency: Industrialist C. Anji Reddy has been nominated to contest against senior Congress leader and former Minister T. Jeevan Reddy.
- Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar Teachers’ Constituency: Educationist Malka Komaraiah will represent the BJP.
- Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Teachers’ Constituency: Puli Sarottham Reddy, a veteran teacher and former general secretary of the Panchayat Raj Teachers’ Union, will contest on a BJP ticket.
This marks a shift in strategy for the BJP, which was previously late in announcing candidates for the November 2023 Assembly elections and May 2024 Lok Sabha polls. By declaring candidates early, the party aims to provide ample time for campaigning and gain a head start over its rivals.
BJP’s Confidence in Key Constituencies
The BJP’s confidence stems from its strong performance in recent elections:
- The party won Medak, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, and Adilabad Lok Sabha constituencies, which overlap with the graduates’ constituency.
- Seven of the eight Assembly seats held by the BJP are in these districts.
Challenges for Congress and BRS
The Congress faces internal strife, particularly in the Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar Graduates’ constituency, where its sitting MLC T. Jeevan Reddy has expressed dissatisfaction with the party’s decision to admit Jagtial MLA Sanjay Kumar, a former BRS leader.
The ruling BRS, under pressure after its poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls and the defection of 10 MLAs to Congress, is also grappling with challenges. Despite holding over 20 Assembly seats in the graduates’ constituency, its ability to maintain dominance in the upcoming MLC elections remains uncertain.
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Recent Political Developments
The BJP’s proactive approach follows its impressive gains in Telangana:
- The party doubled its Lok Sabha tally in 2024 to eight seats, its best-ever performance in the state.
- In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP secured a 19.5% vote share, which increased to 35.08% in 2024.
- The BJP-affiliated teachers’ union candidate AVN Reddy won the Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad Teachers’ constituency in March 2023, marking the party’s first entry into the 40-member Telangana Legislative Council.
Importance of MLC Elections
The upcoming MLC elections are crucial for all major political players, as they serve as a precursor to the rural and urban local body elections. While the BJP aims to expand its footprint, the Congress and BRS are also strategizing to regain lost ground.
- Congress: The party’s internal challenges and recent defections have weakened its position. However, it hopes to leverage its gains in the Assembly elections, where it increased its tally to 75 seats following the defection of 10 BRS MLAs.
- BRS: The ruling party is focused on repeating its 2024 by-election success in the Mahabubnagar local bodies constituency but faces stiff competition.
Key Takeaways
- BJP’s Strategy: Early candidate announcements and a focus on constituencies with overlapping Lok Sabha and Assembly seats.
- Congress Challenges: Internal infighting and competition from BRS and BJP.
- BRS Performance: The party’s dominance is waning due to defections and recent electoral setbacks.