Ahead of 2028 state pollS: BJP triumphs, Congress reels in Telangana's MLC elections

In a significant blow to the ruling Congress in Telangana, the BJP emerged victorious in two out of three MLC elections held on February 27, with one seat going to an independent candidate. The elections, which included one graduate constituency (Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar) and two teachers' constituencies (Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar and Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda), saw the Congress only contesting the graduate constituency. Although the party supported candidates for the other two seats, it was the BJP, which contested all three seats, that dominated the contest.

Despite heavy campaigning by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and several state ministers, Congress failed to secure any wins and lost its previously held Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar graduate seat to the BJP. As a result, the BJP now holds three seats in the 40-member Legislative Council.

The BJP's victory is seen as a boost for its preparations ahead of the 2028 Telangana Assembly elections. Union ministers G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar led the charge in the high-stakes race, and the BJP's success has been hailed by Prime Minister Modi, who congratulated the people of Telangana and party leaders.


With the BRS still struggling to establish a clear direction, the BJP is positioning itself as a strong contender in the state, particularly after its success in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where it secured eight seats, the same number as Congress, while AIMIM won one.