HYDERABAD: BJP’s failure to secure BRS votes in the recent Telangana Legislative Council election from the Hyderabad Local Authorities Constituency, which led to AIMIM’s victory, has raised doubts about the party’s ability to attract support from other parties.
Within BJP circles, a heated debate is underway over the alleged failure of its strategy to win the election, which could have shifted the political narrative in its favour. This missed opportunity has left party leaders and cadre questioning whether the BJP can emerge as a strong contender in the upcoming elections. Despite all 28 BJP voters supporting the party’s official candidate, N Gowtham Rao, the party is troubled by its inability to win over voters from other parties, particularly the BRS.
Sources said that BJP leaders expected five to 10 BRS corporators to vote for their candidate, despite the BRS leadership issuing a whip to boycott the election. Key BJP leaders reportedly approached BRS corporators, offering party tickets for the 2026 Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections in exchange for their support.
However, the BRS corporators remained unmoved. The BJP, to ensure cross-voting, criticised the BRS for issuing the boycott whip. Party sources disclosed that a senior BJP leader contacted BRS corporators, arguing that the BRS was a sinking ship with no future.
Corporators unconvinced
They claimed that the BJP would sweep the upcoming GHMC elections and promised benefits, including party tickets, if the corporators switched sides. The BJP also highlighted that the BRS whip denied corporators their constitutional right to vote and assured them of a warm welcome if suspended by BRS. Yet, the BRS corporators remained unconvinced by the BJP leaders’ claims of their party’s rising fortunes.
Party insiders now question whether any leaders from other parties will join the BJP in future elections. If the BJP struggles to attract leaders in Hyderabad, where it considers itself strong, its prospects in other parts of Telangana appear bleak. Leaders believe that without influencing opposition members to join in the MLC election, it will be challenging for them to entice MLAs or former legislators in the future elections.
The party cadre are puzzled by the leadership’s lack of bargaining power, despite the party winning eight of 17 Lok Sabha seats in recent elections. They said that in several Assembly segments within these Lok Sabha constituencies, the BJP lost, signalling the need for a stronger local leadership. The party’s Assembly election vote share was only 13.4 per cent compared to 35.8 per cent in Lok Sabha polls, which should urge the leaders to intensify efforts to entice prominent figures from other parties.
Concerns loom over the BJP’s performance in the 2026 GHMC elections. In the last GHMC election on December 1, 2020, the BJP won 48 seats. Party leaders aim to improve this tally but remain uncertain about their strategy.