Congress' Naveen Yadav wins Jubilee Hills seat in Telangana with a 24,000-vote margin 

Congress candidate V. Naveen Yadav emerged victorious in the Jubilee Hills Assembly by-election on Friday, defeating BRS candidate Maganti Sunitha Gopinath by a significant margin. Yadav secured a total of 99,120 votes, while Gopinath garnered approximately 74,462 votes. The BJP’s Lankala Deepak Reddy finished third, with the NOTA option recording the fourth-highest number of votes in this highly contested seat.

The by-election, prompted by the death of sitting BRS MLA Maganti Gopinath, was closely watched by both the ruling and opposition parties, as it would directly impact political dynamics in the state. Yadav led in 9 out of 10 rounds of counting, ultimately crossing the 24,000 vote margin, which sparked celebrations among Congress workers at Gandhi Bhavan.

Key factors in the victory

This victory is particularly important for Congress, as it provides a boost to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s leadership and strengthens his position within the party. The win is seen as a reaffirmation of public faith in the government at a time when opposition forces have intensified their criticism.

For the BRS and its working president K.T. Rama Rao, the result has been a setback. Despite deploying the full party cadre and banking on sympathy for the late Gopinath, the party could not secure a win. The defeat signals that BRS will need to reassess its strategy ahead of the next Assembly elections.

Muslim voters play a pivotal role

The constituency, with a significant 36% Muslim population, saw a crucial shift in voting patterns. The absence of AIMIM in the race allowed for a consolidated Muslim vote, which became a decisive factor. Both Congress and BRS had recognised the demographic as key to the outcome, and the community’s role in shaping the results was evident.