HYDERABAD: With GHMC elections drawing close, Congress leaders in Hyderabad have their hands full, reassessing organisational and political strategy in the wake of the thumping victory of V Naveen Yadav in the Jubilee Hills Assembly byelection, which has emerged as a defining moment for the city’s political landscape.
According to party leaders, the win has fortified the ruling party’s confidence and reshaped the political canvas ahead of the civic polls scheduled for early next year.
The term of the present GHMC elected body expires on February 10, 2026, and the upcoming elections are expected to witness an intense triangular contest.
The Jubilee Hills victory has provided Congress with both morale and momentum, two elements leaders say can significantly influence voter perception in municipal elections.
In the last GHMC elections held for 150 divisions in December 2020, the Congress won only two seats, while the BRS secured 56, the BJP 48, and the AIMIM 44. A similar trend was seen in 2016, when the Congress again bagged just two seats, while the TRS won 99, the AIMIM 44, the BJP four, and the TDP one.
Leaders note that the emphatic verdict is being viewed internally as an endorsement of the Congress government’s performance and the leadership of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who has now overseen two consecutive byelection victories since assuming office. Earlier in June 2024, Narayanan Sri Ganesh of the Congress won the Secunderabad Cantonment byelection, which was read as a positive signal for the new government.
NOTA outscores 55 smaller parties, Independents in jh
Hyderabad: In a striking reflection of voter sentiment, the electorate of Jubilee Hills Assembly segment delivered a resounding message to the long list of smaller parties and Independents, who crowded the bypoll contest, that they don’t prefer non-serious candidates who are not in touch with ground realities.
While the Congress and BRS, and to an extent BJP dominated the voting, the remaining 55 candidates failed to secure even a fraction of voter interest, with many choosing the None of the Above (NOTA) option in the high-stakes bypoll.
As many as 924 voters opted for NOTA, a number significantly higher than the smaller parties and independent candidates. The NOTA option was the fourth most “voted-for” choice in the constituency.