In a significant political development, BJP-backed candidates emerged victorious in two out of the three MLC seats in Telangana, marking a morale booster for the party in the state. The elections, held on February 27, witnessed a keen contest in the Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar Graduates’ and Teachers’ constituencies, along with the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Teachers’ constituency. Ch Anji Reddy, supported by the BJP, defeated Congress’ Narender Reddy by a margin of over 5,000 votes in the Graduates’ constituency. Malka Komaraiah, another BJP-backed candidate, secured a win in the Teachers’ constituency, while independent candidate Sripal Reddy Pingili, backed by a teachers’ union, clinched victory in the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Teachers’ constituency. The counting process, which commenced on March 4, took several days due to the preferential voting system, making it a time-consuming exercise.
The outcome of these elections signifies a setback for the ruling Congress, which contested only the Graduates’ constituency. The BRS, on the other hand, chose to stay away from the elections altogether. BJP leaders, including Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, campaigned vigorously, emphasizing the party’s commitment to youth and teachers’ welfare. In contrast, Congress leaders, including Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and state Congress president B Mahesh Kumar Goud, made extensive efforts to retain the Graduates’ constituency but failed to secure a win. BJP state president G Kishan Reddy hailed the victory as a clear rejection of Congress’ governance, accusing the ruling party of failing to address key concerns of the people. He further asserted that the BJP is rapidly strengthening its foothold in Telangana, with these results reflecting growing support for the party’s policies.
Reacting to the results, Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar took a dig at the Congress, stating that despite deploying all its resources, the party could not prevent BJP-backed candidates from securing crucial seats. He also highlighted that the election was conducted through ballot papers, countering Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s concerns over EVMs. The BJP leaders expressed confidence that this victory is a strong indication of the party’s rising influence in Telangana politics. As the state moves closer to the 2028 general elections, BJP sees this as a stepping stone towards expanding its electoral prospects, particularly among graduates and teachers, who played a crucial role in these MLC elections.
