BJP Eyes Graduate MLC Seats on the Back of Its 2025 Poll Success
Graduate MLC elections are often influenced by issues such as unemployment, government recruitment, competitive examinations, education and employee concerns.
Hyderabad:The BJP is upbeat ahead of the forthcoming Legislative Council elections for the Graduate seats, having won two of the three seats contested in 2025. The party is drawing confidence from its organisational expansion, strong membership drive and its performance among educated voters.
Graduate MLC elections are often influenced by issues such as unemployment, government recruitment, competitive examinations, education and employee concerns. The BJP wants to use these issues to target the Congress government, particularly because the next election will be held after more than three years of Congress rule.
The earlier victories were significant as the BJP captured both a graduate seat and a teacher’s seat, while the third seat was won by a teachers’ union candidate rather than the Congress.
However, the 2025 victories came in northern Telangana, while the two forthcoming elections will be held in the Hyderabad–Rangareddy–Mahbubnagar and Warangal–Khammam–Nalgonda constituencies. The BJP will therefore want to expand its organisation beyond its strongest northern districts and select candidates with personal credibility among graduates.
The terms of sitting MLCs Surabhi Vani Devi, daughter of former prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and Chintapandu Naveen alias Teenmar Mallanna are scheduled to end on March 27, 2027. The Election Commission is expected to issue the voter-enrolment notification between September 20 and 30, 2026, with the registration process likely to continue from October to December.
The BJP is giving special importance to the Hyderabad–Rangareddy–Mahbubnagar seat, which was earlier represented by party state president N. Ramchander Rao. BJP sources are examining the candidature of senior leaders as well as those with experience in educational and student organisations. There is considerable competition within the party for the ticket.
Nearly a dozen aspirants are reportedly seeking the ticket for the Hyderabad–Rangareddy–Mahbubnagar seat. Among the main contenders are BJP chief spokesperson N.V. Subhash, grandson of former PM Narasimha Rao; educationist and party spokesperson P.L. Srinivas, who belongs to a strong Backward Class community; and party secretary Dr Prakash Reddy. Srinivas had earlier lost the MLC elections by a narrow margin.
In the Warangal–Khammam–Nalgonda constituency, party vice-president Dr Kasam Venkateshwarlu, who belongs to a BC community and earlier served as the party’s general secretary, appears to be the main contender. G. Premender Reddy, who previously contested from the constituency and lost; party spokesperson Rani Rudrama, a former journalist; and another spokesperson, Dr Pulla Rao Yadav, are also strong aspirants.
As BJP wants to turn the elections into a test of its expanding urban and graduate vote base, it plans to begin enrolling eligible graduates before the formal election campaign.
As MLC elections require fresh voter registration, parties believe that those who register the largest number of voters will gain an advantage. BJP also sees the election as an opportunity to build on its support among educated voters, employees and youth, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas.
