HYDERABAD: The BRS appears to be determined to score a decisive victory in the upcoming high-stakes Jubilee Hills byelection.
For the first time, party working president KT Rama Rao and senior leader T Harish Rao are jointly leading the charge, with an objective to wrest the seat and reassert the pink party’s muscle in Hyderabad.
The BRS, still nursing wounds from the Kavitha controversy that sent shockwaves through its ranks, is treading carefully this time.
Kavitha’s verbal volleys at Harish Rao and former MP J Santosh Kumar — which eventually led to her suspension — have left the BRS wary. Her recent exit from the party and the Legislative Council has become a lingering headache.
Once, it was Rama Rao alone who helmed the party’s affairs in the GHMC elections, but in the changed political climate, both leaders have rolled up their sleeves to fight shoulder to shoulder.
Though there have been whispers of friction between the two, the duo is now putting up a united front — keen to show that they remain loyal lieutenants of K Chandrashekar Rao’s legacy.
Known as the party’s “troubleshooter,” Harish Rao has previously spearheaded several byelection campaigns, including Huzurabad and Dubbak, where the BRS stumbled, as well as Narayankhed and Paleru, which the party won between 2014 and 2018.
Rama Rao, meanwhile, led the BRS to an emphatic victory in the GHMC polls, clinching 99 seats in the first election and 56 seats in the subsequent one. He also helmed the campaign in the Nagarjunasagar byelection, which ended in a party win.
Litmus test of party’s relevance in urban Telangana
What makes this byelection unique is the joint command — a first for Rama Rao and Harish Rao — signaling that the BRS is rallying its top brass to defend its turf. The Jubilee Hills seat is not just another constituency; it is a litmus test of the party’s relevance in urban Telangana, where it dominated in the 2023 Assembly elections.
Party insiders say the BRS is banking on the “Maganti sentiment”, its past development record and the influence of the Kamma community, which holds sway in the constituency. The party also hopes to capitalise on anti-incumbency against the ruling Congress and the support of its loyal corporators in the region.
To tighten its grip on the ground, the BRS has appointed MLAs, MLCs and key leaders as in-charges from booth to division level, aiming to revive its dominance in the capital region and send a message that it remains a force to reckon with ahead of the next Assembly elections.
According to sources, the party’s inner circles see this by-election as a make-or-break moment. A win, they believe, would boost cadre morale and reestablish the image of unity at the top.
A loss, however, could deepen internal rifts and embolden further defections to the ruling Congress — especially after its capture of the Cantonment seat last year.
Either way, the battle for Jubilee Hills is shaping up to be more than just a contest for one seat — it is a trial of strength, survival and symbolism for the BRS.
