Jubilee Hills By Election

Hyderabad, July 7: The Congress party is unlikely to field a Muslim candidate, including former Indian cricket team captain Mohd Azharuddin, for the upcoming by-election in the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency. The by-poll was necessitated by the recent death of sitting Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA Maganti Gopinath.

While the Congress has not officially declared its candidate, party sources suggest that strategic concerns over vote polarisation are pushing the party to consider a non-minority face. “A Muslim candidate may trigger communal polarisation, benefitting the BJP, which in turn could split the vote and help BRS retain the seat,” a senior Congress leader who worked in the constituency told Siasat.com.

In the 2023 Assembly elections, Azharuddin contested from Jubilee Hills on a Congress ticket and secured 64,212 votes, falling short of BRS leader Maganti Gopinath, who won with 80,549 votes. BJP candidate Lanka Deepak Reddy came third with over 25,000 votes, while AIMIM‘s Rasheed Farazuddin garnered 7,848 votes.

“There are around 1.3 lakh Muslim voters in Jubilee Hills, of which around 45,000 to 50,000 actually turn out. To win, we need at least 80,000 to 90,000 votes. Any polarisation will only hurt our chances,” the leader explained. He further noted that Azharuddin, though a high-profile name, lacks a grassroots-level connection in the constituency. “He’s a celebrity, not a politician. If he loses again, his political career could be over,” the source added.

Despite expressing his willingness to contest, Azharuddin’s candidacy remains uncertain. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) working president Mahesh Goud recently clarified that the party will collectively decide on the candidate.

This time around, the Congress is also expected to receive backing from the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which had supported BRS in the 2023 Assembly elections. In that poll, AIMIM fielded its own candidate, drawing a significant number of Muslim votes away from Congress and indirectly aiding BRS’s victory.

As the by-election approaches, party insiders believe that only a strong local face with public goodwill can defeat the BRS in Jubilee Hills.

Also Read: AICC Appoints New District In-Charges Across 10 Regions

(With inputs from agencies)