Congress leader V Naveen Yadav officially takes oath as Jubilee Hills MLA after bypoll victory. Defeated BRS candidate by over 24,000 votes; BJP vows to reassess strategy.

Hyderabad: Congress leader V Naveen Yadav was sworn in as the new MLA of Jubilee Hills on Wednesday, November 26, in the presence of Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar. His induction follows a decisive victory in the high-stakes by-election, where he secured 98,988 votes, defeating BRS candidate Maganti Sunitha by a margin of 24,729 votes.

The by-election, held on November 11 and declared on the 14th, was necessitated by the passing of former MLA Maganti Gopinath in June 2025. While Congress fielded Yadav, BRS nominated Sunitha, the late leader’s wife. BJP candidate Lankala Deepak Reddy, who had previously contested unsuccessfully in 2023, finished third. The AIMIM extended support to Congress, a move seen as strategically crucial in the city-based constituency.

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Following the result, Union minister G Kishan Reddy alleged that Congress’s win was backed by AIMIM influence and financial muscle, while acknowledging the BJP’s organisational weakness in the region. He said the party would “review the setback and regroup strategically.”

Naveen Yadav’s victory is being seen as more than just a bypoll win—it represents Congress’s attempt to strengthen its urban presence after failing to win any seats in Greater Hyderabad in the 2023 Assembly elections. The result signals shifting voter sentiment and could recalibrate party strategies ahead of local body elections.
For the BRS, the loss in a former stronghold adds to growing challenges, while BJP's admission of weakness reflects deeper concerns about its urban outreach.