The BRS's decision to abstain from the contest was unusual for a political party. Many interpret this as a strategic move to ensure the defeat of its main rival Congress.
Published Mar 07, 2025 | 1:47 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 07, 2025 | 1:47 PM
K Chandrashekar Rao, Revanth Reddy and Bandi Sanjay.
Synopsis: BJP candidate C Anji Reddy defeated Congress nominee V Narender Reddy in the election to the Telangana Legislative Council from the Karimnagar-Adilabad-Nizamabad-Medak graduates’ constituency. The BRS’s decision to abstain from the contest was unusual for a political party. Many interpret this as a strategic move to ensure the defeat of its main rival Congress.
More than the BJP, it is the BRS that seems to be happy over the saffron party’s victory in the election to the Telangana Legislative Council from the Karimnagar-Adilabad-Nizamabad-Medak graduates’ constituency.
BJP candidate C Anji Reddy defeated Congress nominee V Narender Reddy by a margin of over 5,000 votes. This victory has given the BJP a significant lift, especially after its earlier success in the Karimnagar-Adilabad-Nizamabad-Medak teachers’ MLC election, where its candidate M Komaraiah secured a win.
These results are considered an indication that the BJP’s influence in North Telangana remains intact or is even growing.
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, who treated the election as a matter of prestige, compared his party’s victory in the graduates’ MLC election to India’s triumph over Pakistan in the recent ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai.
He stated, “The victory is proof that voters oppose categorising Muslims as backward classes in the state’s caste census. This election marks the beginning of the countdown for the fall of the Congress government in the state.”
The BRS’s decision to abstain from the contest was unusual for a political party. Many interpret this as a strategic move to ensure the defeat of its main rival Congress.
The BRS, still bitter over its loss in the 2023 Assembly elections, seemingly focused more on hitting the Congress where it hurts most rather than securing its own victory. This strategy appeared to have worked, as Congress lost a seat it previously held.
Apparently lacking confidence in its ability to defeat both the Congress and BJP, the BRS chose to stay out of the race, indirectly benefiting the BJP.
With BRS absent, a significant share of anti-Congress votes is believed to have shifted toward the BJP, while the rest were distributed among independents.
Announcing its decision to keep away from the elections, the BRS downplayed their importance, stating that it was prioritising upcoming panchayat elections.
However, some speculate that its silence was also influenced by the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) cases against key BRS leaders like KT Rama Rao in Formula E race and K Kavitha in the Delhi liquor scam cases.
The BRS’s strategy seems to have paid off, as the BJP emerged victorious. Despite staying out of the election, the BRS took satisfaction in Congress’s loss, even if it meant strengthening the BJP in the process.
However, this move may have unintended consequences, as it breathes new life into the BJP, reinforcing its position as a growing political force in the state. The BRS, aware of the risks, seemed to have taken a calculated risk, determined to block a Congress victory at any cost.
Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu, who hails from the Karimnagar district, accused the BRS and BJP of a covert understanding against the Congress. He remarked, “The BRS and BJP have entered a secret agreement to defeat the Congress. Their strong ‘Fevicol’ bond is evident in the efforts put out by both parties’ leaders.”
The Congress seemingly failed to recognise the major threats it faced. The BRS’s decision to stay out of the election and the party’s denial of a ticket to Backwards Class (BC) leader Prasanna Harikrishna proved costly. Both BJP and Congress fielded candidates from the Reddy community, angering the BC voters.
Meanwhile, Harikrishna, backed by a significant section of BC voters, managed to sway nearly 60,000 votes away from Congress, inadvertently helping the BJP win the election.
Despite Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s personal campaign efforts, Congress failed to turn the tide in its favour. Many party leaders at the grassroots level adopted a complacent approach, assuming an easy victory as the seat was previously held by Congress.
Sitting MLC T Jeevan Reddy opted out of re-election, hoping for a council seat under the MLA quota, which lent more to the party’s overconfidence. This lack of urgency resulted in a weak campaign effort, particularly by those who were expected to work hard as they were aspirants for cabinet and other key positions.
In Nizamabad, the performance of Congress leaders was far from satisfactory, despite its state President B Mahesh Kumar Goud, a BC leader, belonging to the region. The Karimnagar graduates’ constituency spans across 14 reorganised districts and 42 Assembly constituencies, where Congress holds three ministerial posts, four in-charge ministerial positions, and 23 MLAs.
Even in segments where the Congress lacked representation in the Assembly, it had appointed in-charges. Yet, despite warnings about BJP’s strength, bolstered by four MPs, including Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Congress leaders failed to take proactive measures.
Unlike Congress, the BJP approached the MLC elections with meticulous planning. It announced its candidates for two teachers’ and one graduates’ constituency well before the Election Commission released the schedule.
The party launched its campaign early, gaining an advantage over Congress. Focusing on unemployed graduates, the BJP highlighted its past agitations for their cause. It also assigned one leader for every 25 voters to maintain constant engagement and secure their support.
A shocking aspect of the election was the invalidation of over 28,000 votes. Despite being graduates, many voters appeared unaware of the right voting procedure.
The ballot paper, which contained 56 names, reportedly confused several voters. Some mistakenly gave first-preference votes to multiple candidates, while others scribbled on the ballot their choice in words. Had these votes been counted, the election’s outcome might have been different.
Finally, it appears that the BJP’s strategic campaign, the BRS’s absence from the contests and the presence of the Congress BC leader on BSP ticket had paved the way for a saffron party’s victory.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
