As the high-stakes Jubilee Hills Assembly bypoll campaign gains momentum, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) has taken full charge of the party’s on-ground operations, leading roadshows and energising cadres across the constituency.
In the early phase of the campaign, KTR and T Harish Rao were jointly spearheading efforts to reassert the pink party’s political strength in Hyderabad. However, since the demise of his father, Harish Rao has stayed away from public engagements.
Harish Rao monitors campaign from home
Despite his absence from the campaign trail, party insiders insist that Harish remains actively involved in strategising. “He may not be visible on the ground, but he is monitoring developments closely and giving inputs from home,” said a senior BRS functionary.
Harish Rao, known for his organisational acumen and mass connect, has often played a key role in shaping campaign narratives. His quiet involvement, sources say, ensures that the BRS campaign remains disciplined and coordinated even in his physical absence.
Meanwhile, KTR has intensified outreach efforts, holding multiple roadshows, interacting with resident welfare associations, and engaging with key voter blocs to shore up support. His speeches have focused on continuity, welfare schemes, and defending the BRS legacy in the city.
Discontent in Congress ranks
Across the aisle, the Congress campaign appears divided and lacklustre. Several senior party leaders, particularly those overlooked for ministerial berths in the recent government formation, have kept a distance from the Jubilee Hills campaign.
Even among those who were given positions in the government, participation on the ground has been largely perfunctory, with many limiting their involvement to symbolic appearances. “Some of the regular TV faces have gone missing from street-level campaigning,” a Congress insider admitted, hinting at simmering dissatisfaction.
The mood, according to sources, worsened following Mohammad Azharuddin’s induction into the Cabinet and the elevation of two other MLAs to Cabinet-rank posts. This has reportedly deepened existing resentment among those who believe their contributions were ignored.
BRS seeks to regain lost ground
For the BRS, the Jubilee Hills bypoll is more than a constituency contest—it is a test of resilience after the party’s recent setbacks. The leadership hopes that a visible campaign led by KTR, combined with Harish Rao’s behind-the-scenes direction, will help consolidate the base and restore morale among workers.
The bypoll has become a high-profile battle, symbolising the shifting dynamics of Hyderabad politics, where organisational strength and unity could determine the outcome as much as popularity.