Graduate MLC polls set for three-way contest

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

With considerable time still left for the upcoming two Graduate MLC elections in Telangana, political parties have already begun preparing for what is expected to be a closely fought battle. The BJP, in particular, is reportedly concerned about its standing among young voters following the recent protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and the reported police lathi-charge. It is expected to clarify its position on issues concerning graduates and unemployed youth while working to regain their support.

Two Graduate MLC seats in Telangana—Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy and Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda—are scheduled to fall vacant in March 2027. The Congress, BRS and BJP have already started preparations, with the three parties expected to engage in an intense electoral battle. The BJP appears to have taken an early lead in its preparations. Its state leadership recently met BJP national president Nitin Nabin in Delhi, where it was reportedly directed to focus on the Graduate MLC elections and formulate a special strategy to win both seats.

As part of the strategy, the BJP has already launched protests over pending fee reimbursements and is expected to intensify its campaign on job calendars, recruitment notifications, electoral promises made to youth and employees’ issues. The influence of Gen Z voters is expected to be particularly important in these elections. The voter registration process for graduates is likely to begin soon, prompting all three major parties to step up their outreach efforts.

The Mahabubnagar seat is currently represented by Vani Devi, daughter of former Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao, while the Warangal seat is represented by Teenmar Mallanna. BJP state president Ramchander Rao had earlier won the Mahabubnagar seat before it went to the BRS. The BJP is now seeking to regain the Mahabubnagar seat while also capturing the Warangal constituency.

The Congress and BRS are also seeking to position themselves as voices for young voters and have begun highlighting issues important to Gen Z. With graduate voters expected to play a crucial role, the upcoming elections are shaping up to be a high-stakes contest among the BJP, Congress and BRS.