In a significant political development that has reshaped Hyderabad’s electoral dynamics, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen has announced its decision to abstain from contesting the Jubilee Hills by-poll scheduled for November 11, 2025. Party president Asaduddin Owaisi confirmed this strategic move during a meeting with Congress candidate Naveen Yadav, who filed his nomination, accompanied by former Indian cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin. This tactical withdrawal from the Jubilee Hills by-poll signals AIMIM’s commitment to preventing vote fragmentation and countering the Bharatiya Janata Party’s expanding influence in urban Hyderabad constituencies.
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The decision carries substantial electoral weight given the constituency’s demographic composition. With approximately 120,000 Muslim voters and an additional 22,000 from other minority communities constituting nearly one-third of the 399,000 total voters, AIMIM’s support for Congress could prove decisive. The Jubilee Hills by-poll represents more than just one Assembly seat—it embodies broader political realignments in Telangana’s capital and tests the Revanth Reddy government’s popularity.
Historical Context and Past Performance
The by-election was necessitated following the death of Bharat Rashtra Samithi legislator Maganti Gopinath, who had represented Jubilee Hills since 2014. In the 2023 Assembly elections, Gopinath secured 80,549 votes, defeating Congress candidate Mohammed Azharuddin by 16,337 votes, while BJP candidate L. Deepak Reddy finished third with 25,866 votes. AIMIM candidate Mohammed Rashed Farazuddin secured only 7,848 votes in that contest.
However, AIMIM’s historical performance shows greater strength when Naveen Yadav contested on the party’s ticket in 2014, securing 25.19 per cent of the vote share and finishing second to Gopinath with a deficit of just 9,242 votes. This historical data underscores how vote distribution patterns affect outcomes in the Jubilee Hills by-poll and explains AIMIM’s strategic calculus in avoiding opposition vote splitting.
Jubilee Hills falls within the Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency, where BJP’s G. Kishan Reddy secured victory in the 2024 general elections with approximately 50,000 votes’ margin. This BJP strength at the parliamentary level has raised concerns among secular parties about the saffron party’s growing foothold in traditionally pluralistic urban constituencies.
Owaisi’s Critique of BRS Development Record
During his meeting with Naveen Yadav, Asaduddin Owaisi delivered pointed criticism of the previous BRS government’s development record in Jubilee Hills. The AIMIM chief emphasised that despite BRS having its legislator from the constituency for ten years while simultaneously holding state power, the area witnessed systematic neglect in infrastructure development and civic amenities. Owaisi highlighted the constituency’s numerous slum areas and inadequate services as evidence of BRS’s failure to serve constituents effectively.
According to Owaisi, the 398,000 voters of Jubilee Hills deserve comprehensive development addressing their basic needs. He characterised the Jubilee Hills by-poll as an opportunity for focused attention on developmental issues overlooked during the previous administration. This critique resonates with ground-level complaints from residents across various wards, including minority-dominated areas like Erragadda, Rahmathnagar, Yousufguda, Shaikpet, and Bharathnagar.
The AIMIM president’s remarks gained additional credibility from his acknowledgement of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s responsiveness to developmental projects. Owaisi praised Reddy for expediting the Hyderabad Old City Metro project, noting that when AIMIM supported BRS previously, the metro extension was prioritised. This represented a stark contrast to the previous administration’s approach to development.
Anti-BJP Coalition Building Strategy
The primary rationale behind AIMIM’s decision to stay out of the Jubilee Hills by-poll centres on preventing the BJP’s further consolidation in urban Hyderabad constituencies. Owaisi explicitly stated his concern about the BJP’s growing influence and characterised the party’s expansion as requiring unified opposition. He urged Naveen Yadav to build his campaign around inclusive politics, taking all sections of society together.
The Hyderabad MP alleged that BRS votes transferred to BJP during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, contributing to the saffron party’s Secunderabad parliamentary constituency victory. This vote migration pattern has alarmed secular political forces and prompted strategic recalibration among parties traditionally competing for similar voter bases. By supporting Congress in the Jubilee Hills by-poll, AIMIM aims to create a consolidated anti-BJP front.
Political analysts suggest AIMIM’s decision may be linked to broader coalition negotiations, particularly regarding the INDIA bloc’s composition in the Bihar elections. Additionally, with Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections approaching, political understandings between Congress and AIMIM could ensure mutual support in crucial municipal divisions.
Congress Strategy and Candidate Selection
The Congress party’s selection of Naveen Yadav represents strategic thinking designed to maximise minority vote consolidation. Yadav’s political journey includes contesting from this constituency on an AIMIM ticket in 2014, running as an independent in 2018, and joining Congress before the 2023 elections. His AIMIM background and continued goodwill with the party’s leadership make him ideal to benefit from AIMIM’s tacit support.
The Congress strategy for the Jubilee Hills by-poll emphasises welfare schemes implementation, developmental promises, and minority community support consolidation to overcome BRS’s traditional dominance. Party leaders expressed confidence that AIMIM’s support will enable them to wrest another seat from BRS, following their success in the Secunderabad Cantonment by-election in May 2024.
BRS and BJP Electoral Positioning
The BRS has fielded Maganti Sunitha, wife of the late legislator, banking on the sympathy factor to retain the seat. For BRS, retaining the Jubilee Hills by-poll carries enormous significance beyond just one Assembly seat, as the party faces mounting internal tensions following recent defeats. However, BRS confronts significant headwinds, including developmental neglect criticism and perceived vote transfers to the BJP.
The BJP has fielded L. Deepak Reddy again, accusing Congress and AIMIM of collusion. BJP leaders questioned why AIMIM is abstaining from the Jubilee Hills by-poll when it typically fields candidates nationwide. Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar suggested that both Congress and BRS are learning politics from AIMIM despite public disputes. BJP’s campaign focuses on exposing the Congress-AIMIM understanding while projecting itself as the genuine alternative.
The party’s confidence stems from its parliamentary election performance and perceived anti-incumbency against the Revanth Reddy government stemming from internal Congress conflicts. BJP believes these governance issues, combined with communal consolidation, can deliver victory despite opposition vote consolidation.
Electoral Implications and Future Outlook
Electoral Implications and Future OutlookThe Jubilee Hills by-poll will be conducted across 407 polling stations with 399,000 voters comprising 207,382 males, 191,593 females, and 25 third-gender voters. The minority vote concentration remains the decisive factor, with approximately 142,000 minority community voters whose consolidated support can determine outcomes.
The AIMIM’s decision to support Congress carries implications extending beyond immediate electoral outcomes. It signals potential for broader secular coalition building in urban constituencies where the BJP’s expansion threatens traditional power equations. The success or failure of this tactical understanding will influence similar arrangements in future elections.
For Congress, victory would provide crucial momentum and validate the Revanth Reddy government’s policies. Conversely, defeat would intensify internal conflicts. The outcome will significantly impact BRS’s future trajectory and BJP’s credentials as the principal opposition force in Telangana.
