Congress makes graduate MLC elections a prestige battle

The Congress has taken the forthcoming Graduate MLC elections in Telangana as a prestige issue, viewing the outcome as a barometer of public perception of the Revanth Reddy government.

With the two constituencies together covering 77 Assembly segments, nearly two-thirds of the State’s 119 constituencies, the ruling party is keen to turn the elections into an endorsement of its governance and prevent the Opposition from using the results to question its popularity.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is particularly keen on the elections, as his native Mahabubnagar district falls within the Mahabubnagar-Ranga Reddy-Hyderabad Graduate MLC constituency. A victory would strengthen the Congress’s political position, while a defeat could provide the BRS and the BJP with an opportunity to portray the outcome as public dissatisfaction with the government.

The Congress has already announced its candidates, placing it ahead of its principal rivals in the preparatory exercise. Sama Rammohan Reddy is the party’s candidate for the Mahabubnagar-Ranga Reddy-Hyderabad constituency while Ramreddy Sarvotham Reddy is the Warangal-Nalgonda-Khammam constituency candidate.

The elections are also expected to test the organisational strength of Congress MLAs in the six erstwhile districts covered by the two constituencies. With money playing a significant role in graduate MLC elections in the past, the ruling party does not want to leave any opportunity unexplored in a contest where campaign resources, voter outreach and mobilisation can influence the outcome.

Voter enrolment has emerged as a key component of the strategy. The PCC wants leaders to make better use of online registration facilities. Sama Rammohan Reddy told The Hindu that he has been sending voter-registration links to graduates through social media channels for voter enrolment. Party leaders believe that the ease of online registration has not translated into adequate participation, necessitating direct outreach to eligible voters.

The BRS has signalled its seriousness, with party working president K. T. Rama Rao holding meetings with leaders from the districts concerned. The BJP, too, is keen to consolidate its position after winning two MLC seats last year. It is particularly interested in the Hyderabad-Ranga Reddy-Mahabubnagar seat, which was earlier represented by its current State president N. Ramchander Rao.

The Congress Pradesh Committee (PCC) has initiated a coordinated campaign, holding preparatory meetings. Ministers in charge of the districts have begun consultations with party ranks. Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy has been coordinating the exercise in the erstwhile Warangal district, while Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha held a meeting with leaders from the erstwhile Palamuru district.

Mr. Revanth Reddy and PCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud are scheduled to meet MPs, MLAs, Ministers and constituency-level leaders from the six districts on October 23 to finalise the campaign strategy.