HYDERABAD: When the BRS was in power, its working president K.T. Rama Rao often said the BJP and Congress were contesting for second place. The electoral numbers since the change in government suggest a reversal. Now BJP and BRS are fighting for second position. Congress has remained consistently around the 40 per cent vote share across elections, while the sharper shifts are taking place between the BRS and the BJP.

In the 2023 Assembly elections, Congress secured 39.4 per cent of the vote, ahead of BRS at 37.3 per cent and BJP at 13.9 per cent.

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections marked a significant churn. Congress polled 40.1 per cent in Telangana. BJP surged to 35.2 per cent, while BRS dropped to 16.7 per cent, indicating a major shift in voter alignment at the parliamentary level.

Urban local body results echoed a similar pattern. In the latest municipal polls, Congress obtained 39.80 per cent of the vote. BRS stood second with 28.75 per cent, followed by BJP at 15.67 per cent.

However, in municipal corporations, BRS failed to secure control, while BJP emerged as the principal challenger in key urban segments, effectively occupying the second position in those pockets.

At the rural level, Congress-backed candidates and rebels accounted for 66 per cent of the 12,702 panchayats. BRS stood at 27.64 per cent and BJP at 5.59 per cent, underlining Congress’s strong rural footprint.

The numbers point that Congress vote appears stable. Its share remains close to 40 per cent across Assembly, parliamentary and municipal elections, suggesting Voter consolidation.

Movement of votes appears concentrated between BRS and BJP rather than at the expense of Congress. Gains by one have often corresponded with losses by the other, while Congress has broadly maintained its support band.

BRS has seen sharper erosion in parliamentary contests than in local ones. While its Lok Sabha vote share fell steeply, its municipal presence shows that its local structures continue to retain a base.

BJP’s rise appears selective. It performs strongly in Lok Sabha elections but does not replicate that scale in Assembly, municipal or rural polls, indicating that its growth may be election-specific & leader-specific rather than uniform. Urban–rural divide is visible. BJP’s gains are largely urban-centric, particularly in municipal corporations, while its presence in gram panchayats remains limited.

The emerging pattern suggests a structural shift. Congress occupies a relatively stable first position. The more fluid contest is for the second space, where BRS and BJP are recalibrating their strategies in a changing political landscape.

Data
Assembly 2023
Congress – 39.4%
BRS – 37.3%
BJP – 13.9%

Lok Sabha 2024
Congress – 40.1%
BJP – 35.2%
BRS – 16.7%

Municipal Polls
Congress – 39.80%
BRS – 28.75%
BJP – 15.67%

Gram Panchayat
Congress + Rebels – 66%
BRS – 27.64%
BJP – 5.59%