The BJP’s victory in the just-concluded MLC elections in Telangana came as a first indicator of the changing political winds in the Congress-ruled state.
The saffron party bagged two out of the three Legislative Council seats representing the graduates and teachers constituencies.
Its candidate C Anji Reddy emerged victorious from the Karimnagar-Nizamabad-Medak-Adilabad graduates’ constituency. In a close contest, he edged out his nearest rival and Congress nominee V Narender Reddy, by a margin of about 5,000 votes.
The BJP also celebrated another win as its candidate, Mulka Komaiarh, triumphed in the Karimnagar-Nizamabad-Medak-Adilabad teachers’ constituency.
The results dealt a serious blow to the Congress, nearly 15 months after it came to power in the December 2023 assembly polls. The Graduates MLC constituency, spanning 42 Assembly segments, is a critical battleground that potentially reflects the sentiment of the state's educated electorate.
Anti-incumbency factor
The MLC election results showed that the Congress is battling a growing anti-incumbency sentiment while the main opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has significantly weakened due to strategic missteps. The BJP, on the other hand, is emerging as a formidable force through meticulous ground-level efforts.
The outcome clearly indicates widespread dissatisfaction among the educated class, youth, government employees, and teachers towards the Congress administration.
Failing to retain a sitting MLC seat despite being in power is a clear indicator of the ruling party’s organizational failures. Despite an extensive campaign involving the Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, state ministers, MPs, MLAs, and the entire party machinery, the Congress still lost the election.
The state Congress leadership failed to formulate a comprehensive strategy for the MLC elections, leaving the party machinery unprepared. Instead of focusing on grassroots mobilization, Congress leaders, the Pradesh Congress executives, and ministers prioritized Zoom meetings and social media engagements.
BRS’ blunder
The BRS’ decision to abstain from the elections was clearly a political blunder. It only weakened its position in the state's political landscape. An impression is gaining ground that the BRS, once seen as an architect of Telangana statehood movement and an undisputed political force in the state, is ceding its ground to the BJP.
Despite the graduate constituency covering the seats represented by BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao and prominent leaders like Harish Rao, K T Rama Rao, and K Kavitha, the party’s decision not to contest remains a significant strategic mistake.
The BJP’s victory was primarily due to early announcement of its candidate, relentless groundwork, and the strategic efforts of the RSS and its affiliated organizations, which silently mobilized voters in BJP’s favour. Through its meticulous micro-level poll management, the saffron party effectively countered Congress, exposing the weaknesses in Congress’s electoral strategy.
Wake-up call
The MLC poll outcome is a wake-up call for the Congress. The PCC had failed to coordinate with its affiliated organizations, including the Youth Congress, NSUI, and Mahila Congress, leading to a fragmented campaign. It was unable to bring its party machinery under a unified command, further weakening its electoral efforts.
If it fails to draw lessons and address internal issues and governance lapses, the grand old party risks further electoral losses in the upcoming local body elections. The BRS too must rethink its approach if it is serious about preventing the BJP from consolidating its position.
In 2019, BRS’s decline in Telangana began when Congress candidate T. Jeevan Reddy won the Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Adilabad, and Medak graduate constituencies. Now, the Congress’s defeat in the same seat marks a turning point, potentially reshaping the state's political landscape.
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