Hyderabad: The proposed Khairatabad bypoll is creating contrasting moods among Telangana’s major political parties and their grassroots workers. While senior leaders face the prospect of an expensive and demanding electoral battle, local leaders and cadres are looking forward to renewed attention from their parties.
The Supreme Court’s dismissal of Danam Nagender‘s challenge to his disqualification has cleared the way for a by-election in Khairatabad. The Telangana High Court had earlier disqualified Nagender under the anti-defection law and declared the seat vacant.
The Election Commission is yet to announce the bypoll schedule. However, Congress, BRS and BJP have already started assessing their strategies and possible candidates.
For the major parties, the Khairatabad bypoll is being viewed as an additional political and organisational challenge. The next Assembly elections are due in 2028, meaning parties will have to invest considerable time, manpower and resources in a contest for a single seat.
Why Khairatabad Bypoll Matters to Major Parties
The bypoll could become an important test of the organisational strength of the Congress, BRS and BJP in Hyderabad.
For the ruling Congress, the contest carries added political significance. A defeat could trigger questions about the party’s position in the constituency, while a victory would strengthen its organisation ahead of future elections.
The BRS also has significant stakes in the contest. Danam Nagender had won Khairatabad on a BRS ticket in 2018 and 2023 before joining Congress. The party is now considering possible candidates, including MLC Dasoju Sravan and Sai Kiran Yadav, son of former minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav, according to reports.
The BJP also sees an opportunity in the constituency. It won Khairatabad in 2014 through Chintala Ramachandra Reddy. Party leaders are also considering his name for the possible bypoll.
Danam Nagender, meanwhile, has said that he intends to contest the election but has not revealed which party’s ticket he will seek. He said he would disclose his political plans after the election schedule and ticket announcement.
The political equations make the proposed contest particularly significant. Khairatabad has seen changes in voter preferences and party fortunes over the past three Assembly elections.
In 2014, the BJP won the seat. Danam Nagender returned to the constituency in 2018 on a BRS ticket and retained it in 2023. In the 2023 election, Nagender secured 67,368 votes, while Congress candidate P. Vijaya Reddy polled 45,358 and BJP’s Chintala Ramachandra Reddy received 38,094 votes.
An Expensive Electoral Exercise
A by-election requires parties to quickly mobilise their leadership and grassroots machinery. Senior leaders from across the state may have to be deployed in the constituency, while local leaders will be responsible for door-to-door outreach and booth-level coordination.
Campaign meetings, publicity, transport, worker mobilisation and polling-day management can add substantially to the financial and organisational burden.
However, claims about specific amounts allegedly distributed to voters should be treated cautiously unless supported by official complaints, seizure records or other independent evidence. Similar allegations often emerge during election campaigns but cannot be treated as established facts merely on the basis of political or local discussions.
For the parties, booth management could prove particularly important. Local leaders and workers have direct contact with voters and are expected to handle much of the ground-level campaign.
This is where the mood among grassroots workers differs from that of senior leadership.
Local Cadre Sees a Chance to Regain Importance
For many constituency-level leaders and workers, a by-election can bring a sudden increase in political activity and importance.
Leaders who may have received less attention during the regular political cycle are likely to become central to campaign planning once the election schedule is announced. They will be expected to mobilise voters, organise meetings, coordinate booth teams and maintain contact with households.
As a result, local leaders and cadres are watching the proposed bypoll with interest. Their expectation is that senior leadership will now give greater priority to the constituency and provide the organisational support required for the campaign.
The situation also puts pressure on senior leaders. While state-level leaders can address public meetings and oversee strategy, they cannot replace the local network required for sustained voter outreach.
The Khairatabad contest could therefore become more than a battle between candidates. It may also serve as a test of how effectively the major parties can activate their grassroots machinery.
For Congress, BRS and BJP, the challenge will be to convert their organisational claims into electoral support. For local leaders and cadres, meanwhile, the bypoll offers an opportunity to regain political relevance and visibility.
With the Supreme Court verdict removing the legal uncertainty surrounding the vacancy, attention has now shifted towards the Election Commission’s schedule, candidate selection and the campaign that will follow.
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