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Hyderabad, Oct. 5(PMI) The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has taken an early lead in the run-up to the Jubilee Hills Assembly by-election, announcing Maganti Sunitha, wife of the late MLA Maganti Gopinath, as its candidate. The bypoll was necessitated following Gopinath’s demise.
In contrast, the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are yet to finalize their nominees, grappling with internal differences and strategic uncertainty.
Within the Congress, multiple leaders are in the race for the ticket, leading to visible factional activity in the constituency. Among the key contenders is Kanjerla Vijaya Lakshmi, daughter-in-law of former minister KLN Yadav. Even before the official announcement, posters and banners of aspirants have appeared across Jubilee Hills.
Former MP Anjan Kumar Yadav recently organized a free spectacle distribution camp, while another aspirant, Naveen Yadav, conducted stationery distribution for students. Rivalries among local leaders, particularly between Anjan Kumar Yadav and Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, have sparked concerns within the party about unity ahead of the poll.
The BJP, too, has not yet announced its candidate. The contenders reportedly include Lankala Deepak Reddy, Keerthi Reddy, and Kilari Manohar. The party, still recovering from the resignation of Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh, sees the Jubilee Hills by-election as a crucial test of its strength in Hyderabad before the upcoming GHMC elections. A candidate selection panel has been formed, but no deadline has been set for the decision.
Meanwhile, the BRS has already begun its campaign under the leadership of KT Rama Rao, with surveys indicating a favourable ground response. Party president K Chandrashekhar Rao had announced Sunitha’s candidature as early as September 26, allowing the BRS to mobilize its cadre well ahead of rivals.
Speculation is rife that the Election Commission of India will announce the bypoll schedule along with the Bihar Assembly elections, likely around Diwali.
According to Chief Electoral Officer C. Sudarshan Reddy, Jubilee Hills constituency has 3,99,000 registered voters, and polling will be held at 407 polling stations across 139 locations.(pressmediaofindia.com)
