CONGRESSStrengths:The Congress is banking on the goodwill generated by its flagship welfare schemes, including free bus travel for women, LPG refills at Rs 500, free electricity up to 200 units, and job notifications addressing unemployment. The Congress govt has implemented parts of its six guarantees and issued a GO for 42% BC reservations, seeking to consolidate BC and minority support. With a significant Muslim voter base in the constituency, the induction of Mohammad Azharuddin into the state cabinet on Friday is seen as a strategic move. The AIMIM’s decision to back Congress adds to its advantage.Weaknesses:The party’s poor urban track record remains a concern. Congress failed to win any seat in Greater Hyderabad in the 2023 assembly polls, except Secunderabad Cantonment in a subsequent bypoll. Jubilee Hills has been a BRS stronghold, with late Maganti Gopinath winning thrice. The Congress lacks strong grassroots presence and it has no corporators in the area. In addition, several unfulfilled promises, attributed to fiscal stress, are being highlighted by the BRS to attack the ruling party.Opportunities:A win would be a major boost for CM Revanth Reddy’s leadership, solidifying his position within the party and the govt. It would also enhance the Congress’s credibility among urban voters and build momentum for the upcoming Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) polls.Threats:A defeat could fuel dissent within the party and provide ammunition to Revanth Reddy’s critics. It might also signal that the govt’s welfare push has failed to translate into urban support, denting the party’s confidence and support in Hyderabad.BRSStrengths:Despite losing power, BRS has swept all urban assembly segments in 2023 elections, reinforcing the party’s belief that urban voters, particularly those in Greater Hyderabad, remain largely in its corner. The party hopes to capitalise on sympathy for late MLA Maganti Gopinath by fielding his wife, Maganti Sunitha. K Chandrasekhar Rao’s leadership and K T Rama Rao’s development credentials — especially in urban infrastructure — continue to resonate with sections of voters. The party’s financial muscle and organisational structure remain intact.Weaknesses:The morale of the cadre has dipped since the assembly loss, with multiple defections to Congress, including city MLAs and GHMC corporators. The AIMIM, once its friendly ally, has switched allegiance to Congress. These shifts have weakened the BRS’s once-solid city network.Opportunities:Victory in Jubilee Hills would revive the party’s confidence, re-energise its cadre, and strengthen its urban base ahead of the GHMC elections. It could also set the stage for a political comeback in 2028 assembly elections.Threats:A defeat would deepen the crisis within the BRS and raise doubts about its urban appeal. If the sympathy factor fails here — as it did in the Secunderabad Cantonment bypoll last year when the party fielded late BRS MLA G Sayanna’s daughter — it may signal that the party’s emotional connect with voters is fading.BJPStrengths:The BJP is drawing strength from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clean-governance image and the party’s performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, where Union minister G Kishan Reddy won with nearly 60,000 votes in the Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency (which includes Jubilee Hills assembly segment. The party has deployed senior BJP leaders, including those from neighbouring states to spearhead the campaign, with national leaders expected to join the effort in the coming days.Weaknesses:The BJP’s organisational base in Jubilee Hills is weak. This is only the second time the party is contesting in Jubilee Hills, since the inception of the constituency in 2008. The party candidate Deepak Reddy also contested in the 2023 assembly election, but polled just 14% votes. The party lacks a robust cadre network compared to Congress and BRS.Opportunities:A victory could significantly enhance the BJP’s presence in the state, especially after Goshamahal MLA Raja Singh’s exit from the party. It would give the party much-needed representation in Hyderabad and energise its cadre ahead of the GHMC elections. In the 2020 GHMC elections, the saffron party won as many as 48 seats.Threats:With nearly 1.3 lakh Muslim voters — about 30% of the constituency — BJP faces a demographic disadvantage. A poor showing could blunt the party’s post-Lok Sabha momentum and weaken its narrative.
