MAHESH AVADHUTHA | Hyderabad 

With Goshamahal set to face a by-election in the coming months following the resignation of firebrand leader Raja Singh, political temperatures are rising in Telangana's capital. Known as a BJP fortress since the formation of Telangana in 2014, Goshamahal remains the only assembly constituency in the Hyderabad Lok Sabha segment that AIMIM has never managed to breach.

Raja Singh’s personal appeal, combined with the BJP’s ground-level strength, secured three consecutive wins for the party in 2014, 2018, and 2023. However, with Singh parting ways with the saffron party, the upcoming by-election is being closely watched. The central question remains: Can the BJP retain its grip on Goshamahal without the towering presence of its most aggressive and widely recognized leader in Hyderabad?

Despite the leadership vacuum, the BJP exudes confidence. Senior leader Atluri Ramakrishna, who has been closely associated with the party’s Hyderabad unit for a long time, asserts that the organizational structure in Goshamahal remains strong. “The cadre is intact. We have six division committees and over 230 booth committees, each with 12 to 40 active members working on the ground,” he said.

Goshamahal has nearly 2.86 lakh voters, a large portion of whom are North Indian-origin Hindu settlers engaged in business and trade. Their loyalty to the BJP has been pivotal in past elections. Whether that loyalty extends to a new candidate or shifts in favor of Raja Singh—who is expected to contest again, possibly as an Independent or from another party—will shape the outcome.

As BJP prepares to announce its candidate, several names are doing the rounds, including former MLA Prem Singh Rathore, Govind Rathi, Shankar Yadav, and Pandu Yadav—all of whom are lobbying for the party ticket.

Jubilee Hills: BJP keen, but TDP angle adds twist

The Jubilee Hills assembly segment, meanwhile, is headed for a by-election following the untimely demise of BRS MLA Maganti Gopinath. With over 2.92 lakh voters, half of whom are settlers, BJP sees a strategic opening here as well. Aspirants from the party include 2023 contestant Lankala Deepak Reddy, Atluri Ramakrishna, Keerthi Reddy, and Padma.

However, the BJP’s ambition to contest the seat may face a hurdle from within its own alliance. The TDP is reportedly keen to field Nandamuri Suhasini—daughter of late Harikrishna and granddaughter of NTR. If the BJP central leadership agrees to this proposal under the broader BJP-TDP-Janasena alliance, the Telangana BJP unit may have to bow out.

Maganti Gopinath, originally elected in 2014 under the TDP-BJP alliance, later shifted to TRS. Now, his wife is being considered by BRS for the by-election, while former cricketer Mohd. Azharuddin is strongly lobbying for a Congress ticket. With alliance equations in flux, Jubilee Hills is shaping up to be a key litmus test not only for party strengths but also for coalition dynamics in Telangana.