Alarm Bells Ring for Telangana BJP After Third Place Finish in Jubilee Hills

The Sharp Decline from 2023: A 5.35% Loss

The recent by-election result in the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency of Telangana has delivered a massive blow to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) aspirations in the state, raising serious questions about the party’s growth trajectory ahead of the 2028 general elections. The party’s candidate, Lankala Deepak Reddy, suffered a humiliating defeat, finishing in a distant third position and failing to retain even the support base the party had garnered just a couple of years ago when NDA witnessed a massive win in Bihar. Securing only 17,061 votes, which translates to a meager 8.76% vote share, the performance is a significant regression compared to the 2023 General Assembly elections. In 2023, the same candidate, Deepak Reddy, had managed to secure a much higher 25,866 votes, accounting for a 14.11% vote share, indicating a steep decline of 5.35 percentage points in support within a very short period. This dramatic fall is particularly alarming for a party that harbours ambitions of securing a majority of seats and coming to power in the state in the next major electoral cycle in 2028.

Trailing Far Behind: No Contest for Second Place

The sheer scale of the defeat is underscored by the fact that the BJP candidate was nowhere near challenging for the top two positions. The constituency was decisively won by the Congress candidate, Naveen Yadav, who successfully wrested the seat. Furthermore, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) candidate, Maganti Sunitha, who polled a substantial 74,259 votes, comfortably secured the second position. The massive gap between the BRS and the BJP, with Deepak Reddy trailing by over 57,000 votes, demonstrates a complete failure by the BJP to present itself as the primary alternative to the ruling Congress or the main opposition BRS in this crucial urban segment of Hyderabad. The results suggest that the party’s narrative is failing to resonate with the urban electorate, a demographic often considered crucial for the BJP’s national strategy.

Fails to Hold Ground in Kishan Reddy’s Backyard

Adding to the gravity of the defeat is the constituency’s geographic location. Jubilee Hills falls within the Secunderabad Parliamentary constituency, which is represented by a prominent central figure and Union Minister from the BJP, G. Kishan Reddy. The inability of the party to secure a victory, or even a respectable second place, in the very backyard of a key national leader highlights serious organisational and outreach deficiencies at the ground level. The local influence of their top leader clearly did not translate into electoral success. Moreover, the by-election results indicate a loss of momentum even among the party’s presumed core voters. Despite the aggressive campaigning, including direct appeals by senior leaders like Union Minister Bandi Sanjay to the Hindu electorate to consolidate their votes in favour of the BJP, the final vote tally shows that this religious appeal failed to translate into the expected vote share. The failure to mobilise and unite the Hindu vote base, coupled with the loss of the support gained in the 2023 elections, points to either a shift in voter preference or an ineffective campaign strategy.

A Warning Shot for the 2028 Power Ambitions

For the BJP, which is relentlessly working towards a stronger foothold in Southern India, the Jubilee Hills by-poll serves as a sobering reality check. The results not only cast a shadow over their immediate prospects but also demand a deep and immediate introspection into their state-level strategy, organisational structure, and the efficacy of their key leaders’ influence. The fact that the party’s vote share has fallen so significantly from the 2023 Assembly election figures is an undeniable sign of a political retreat in a high-profile constituency. The setback is particularly difficult to digest as the party seeks to project an image of unstoppable growth and electoral momentum. If the BJP cannot improve its performance dramatically in such urban and influential constituencies, its ambitious target of forming the government in Telangana in the 2028 elections, or even significantly increasing its seat tally, will remain a distant and perhaps unattainable goal. The Jubilee Hills by-poll, therefore, is not just an isolated defeat but a loud warning signal for the state unit of the BJP.

Anand Gantela

Deputy Editor, Prime Post

With an illustrious career spanning 29 years in the dynamic field of journalism, Anand Gantela is a seasoned professional who has made significant contributions to both print and electronic media. His wealth of experience reflects a deep understanding of the ever-evolving landscape of news reporting.