Congress wins Telangana assembly elections with a narrow 2 per cent swing in votes; BRS's vote share drops by 10 per cent

Congress Telangana President A Revanth Reddy greets party workers and supporters celebrating the party`s lead during counting of votes for Telangana Assembly elections, in Hyderabad, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. PTI Photo

The Congress emerged victorious in the Telangana assembly polls, securing 64 seats out of the 119-member assembly. The Election Commission's data reveals that a marginal two per cent shift in votes worked in favor of the Congress, leading to the defeat of the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led BRS.

The Congress, with a 39.40 per cent vote share, outpaced the BRS, which secured 37.35 per cent of the votes and won 39 segments. Notably, the BRS witnessed a significant decline in its vote share, experiencing a drop of over 10 per cent from the 2018 assembly elections when it secured 47 per cent of the votes and 88 seats. In contrast, the Congress saw an 11 per cent increase in its vote share.

The BJP, emerging as a notable contender, doubled its vote share, securing eight seats in the assembly. Initially perceived as a primary challenger to the BRS, the saffron party improved its performance compared to the 2018 polls when it secured just one seat with a seven per cent vote share.

Krishna Sagar Rao, BJP's chief spokesperson, attributed the party's success to its promises, including the appointment of a BC leader as Chief Minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to forming a committee on SC categorization. The BJP leader suggested that the Congress might have gained more if not for the BJP's aggressive campaign on these issues.

Political analyst Telakapalli Ravi noted that the BJP effectively diverted the vote share of the BRS in its favor, impacting the overall electoral dynamics.

Also read: Don't vent frustration of assembly polls defeat inside Parliament: PM Modi to Opposition

Observers believe that the Congress benefited from attracting votes from Telugu Desam Party sympathizers after the TDP decided not to participate in the race. The TDP, securing 3.5 percent of the votes and two seats in the 2018 assembly elections, played a role in influencing the distribution of votes.

The AIMIM party, led by Asaduddin Owaisi, maintained its seat tally and almost retained its vote share. The Hyderabad-centric party secured seven seats and obtained 2.22 per cent of the votes, compared to 2.7 per cent in 2018. (With inputs from agencies)