Telangana MLC polls: A wake-up call for Congress as BJP gains ground

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the BJP for its success in Telangana

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy asked voters to judge his government based on its development efforts. However, the recent Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) elections showed a different outcome, as the ruling Congress faced a major defeat. Candidates backed by the BJP won two of the three seats, while a Teachers' Union candidate won the third. This result raises concerns about the Congress government's support, just a year after taking office, and shows weaknesses in its voter base.

The Congress party concentrated its efforts on the Karimnagar-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Medak Graduates' constituency. The Chief Minister held three meetings to support party candidate G. Chinna Reddy. Despite these efforts, BJP-backed A. Narsing Rao won decisively with 72,339 votes, while Chinna Reddy received only 58,827. This result highlights the BJP’s growing appeal among educated voters and the Congress party's struggle to maintain its base.

In the Mahbubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad Teachers' constituency, A. Venkata Narayan Reddy, an independent candidate supported by the BJP, won against Congress-backed Mamindla Chandrasekhar Reddy. Narayan Reddy received 8,332 votes, while Chandrasekhar Reddy got 6,267 votes. In the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Teachers’ constituency, independent candidate P. Balasubramanian won with 7,443 votes, highlighting Congress’s difficulties in various voter groups.

After the results, Union Minister and Telangana BJP President G. Kishan Reddy called the outcome a clear rejection of the Congress government. He explained that people are starting to see that Congress's promises were just election tricks. He believes that educated voters and intellectuals support the BJP, and this trend will continue in the upcoming local polls. Senior BJP leader Bandi Sanjay agreed, saying that the Congress government is losing public trust. He noted that these results show the state is moving toward a strong alternative.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the BJP for its success in Telangana. He wrote on social media, “A great win for democracy in Telangana! The people have spoken, and the BJP will continue to fight for their aspirations.” Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted, “These victories are just the beginning. Telangana is ready for new leadership, and the BJP will ensure good governance and accountability.”

In contrast, Congress blamed the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) for the results. Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu claimed that the BRS helped the BJP. He asked, “Why did BRS not field its candidate?” This statement shows the growing tension between Congress and BRS as both parties compete against the BJP for the same voters.

For Congress, this defeat indicates bigger problems ahead. The MLC elections may not directly reflect the larger voter base but show public sentiment, especially among educated and urban voters. If Congress cannot win back these voters, it could struggle in the upcoming local body elections. In December 2023, Congress won the Assembly elections by a large margin, but these results suggest that their initial support may already be fading.

Looking ahead, Congress must strengthen its message about governance and show that its plans and policies are making a difference. The BJP, encouraged by its recent win, will likely increase its criticism of the ruling party. They will use these results to present themselves as Telangana's main alternative to Congress. At the same time, the BRS, which did not participate in these elections, remains an unpredictable factor in the state’s politics. If Congress continues to face challenges, it could allow the BJP and BRS to exploit its weaknesses.

The Telangana MLC elections have set the stage for a bigger political fight. Congress’s failure to turn good governance into election success, the BJP's continued growth, and the BRS's strategic actions will all be important in shaping the future of politics in the state. For Revanth Reddy and his party, this loss is more than just a setback; it signals that the path ahead will be difficult.