HYDERABAD: The BJP has once again proved its dominance in north Telangana, securing two MLC seats. It has provided a boost to the BJP cadre and activists.
The victory poses a fresh challenge for both the ruling Congress and the main opposition, BRS, as the saffron party continues to expand its footprint in the state since the 2023 Assembly elections.
For Congress, the loss of their sitting graduate MLC seat is a major blow. Despite campaigns led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, seven ministers, TPCC chief and 23 MLAs, the results delivered a shocking defeat. This setback could tarnish the party’s image in north Telangana and dampen the morale of second-tier leaders, even as Congress still has three-and-a-half years left in power.
The BJP’s victory in these MLC seats, one for teachers and one for graduates, marks a strategic gain. These seats are crucial for influencing Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, and the BJP’s high command is now doubling down on its focus in Telangana, eyeing power in the next Assembly polls.
Expanding influence
Since 2014, the BJP’s rise in Telangana has been steady. From one Lok Sabha seat and five MLAs in 2014, the party saw a dip in 2018, winning just one Assembly seat. However, by 2023, it had eight MLAs and a growing vote share. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP clinched eight out of 17 seats in the state, securing 35% of the vote share, a clear sign of its expanding influence.
The recent MLC victories add to this momentum. After securing the Mahbubnagar teachers’ MLC seat in 2023, the BJP’s latest victories signal a growing presence in the Legislative Council. This success has energised the party, fuelling aggressive attacks on both Congress and BRS.
Interestingly, Congress claims that BRS votes shifted to the BJP, suggesting anti-incumbency among teachers and graduates. The BRS, by staying out of the MLC race, avoided potential demoralisation among its cadre had it lost. Meanwhile, Congress’ defeat has sparked internal discussions about poor candidate selection, lackluster campaigning, and the absence of serious involvement from ministers and MLAs. The BC vote split further dented their chances.
A harsh lesson for Congress
The BJP’s success can be attributed to its disciplined organisational efforts. Union Tourism Minister and the party’s state
president G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, MPs, MLAs, and MLCs worked in unison, following a
well-structured ground-level strategy. In contrast, Congress reportedly lacked a cohesive state-to-ground-level mechanism.
The BJP’s meticulous approach, assigning in-charges for every 25 voters, booth-level management, and a centralised war room, proved effective. Congress, on the other hand, failed to replicate this level of organisation.
Senior Congress leaders admitted that the defeat was a harsh lesson. They cited poor poll management, the BSP candidate’s vote share, and a high number of invalid votes as key reasons for their loss.