Congress Likely to Skip Hyderabad Local Authorities MLC Election

The Congress party is reportedly set to stay away from the upcoming MLC election for the Hyderabad Local Authorities’ Constituency, choosing not to field a candidate in the race scheduled by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The election has been necessitated by the impending expiry of BRS MLC MS Prabhakar’s term on May 1, 2025. However, Congress seems to have decided against participation due to its weak presence in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

Congress May Support AIMIM

According to reports, the Congress party may instead extend its support to the AIMIM, which had backed the Congress during the recent Telangana Assembly elections. This alliance comes as a strategic move in view of the low number of seats Congress holds in GHMC.

In the 2020 GHMC elections,

• BRS won 56 seats
• BJP secured 48 seats
• AIMIM claimed 44 seats
• Congress managed to win only 2 seats

Despite recent political developments—such as GHMC Mayor Vijayalakshmi joining Congress and some BRS and BJP corporators shifting allegiance—Congress leadership feels that its current strength is still insufficient to secure a win in the MLC poll.

Setback in Recent MLC Polls

The decision also comes in the wake of Congress’ defeat in the recent MLC elections, where its supported candidates lost all three seats—two teachers’ constituencies and one graduate constituency—delivering a major setback to the ruling party in Telangana.

Election Schedule

• Last date for nominations: April 4
• Scrutiny of nominations: April 7
• Withdrawal deadline: April 9
• Polling date: April 23 (8 AM to 4 PM)
• Counting of votes: April 25

The Congress party is now expected to focus on rebuilding its strength within urban bodies while leaning on political alliances in areas where it lacks numbers.