The Congress and All India Majlis e Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) combine’s intensive campaign, which included door-to-door canvassing across the lanes and by lanes of the Jubilee Hills constituency, appears to have given Naveen Yadav a decisive edge.Mr. Naveen Yadav, the Congress candidate, had contested in 2014 on an AIMIM ticket but lost. He is the son of Srisailam Yadav, who also has long standing connections with the AIMIM. In the run up to the by polls, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi initially referred to Mr. Naveen Yadav as a “local, young candidate”, before openly extending his party’s support. Unlike the 2023 Assembly elections, the AIMIM chose not to field a candidate.The AIMIM leadership, including Karwan legislator Kausar Mohiuddin, Members of the Legislative Council Mirza Rahmat Baig and Riyaz ul Hasan Effendi, and several party workers, spent considerable time strategising voter outreach, particularly in Erragadda, Shaikpet, and Borabanda, where the party has a considerable sway, party workers said. Congress party workers were seen either in the company of, or working side-by-side with AIMIM functionaries against whom they had fought the 2023 Assembly elections.Muslim electors in the Jubilee Hills byelection were estimated to number approximately 1.30 lakh out of more than four lakh voters. The Congress - AIMIM alliance sought to attract Muslim voters by promising a land parcel for a graveyard and by highlighting the need for developmental work, which they alleged was put on the backburner by former Bharat Rashtra Samithi legislator, the late Maganti Gopinath. The BRS, on the other hand, left no stone unturned to woo the same voter base.Days before polling, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy met faith leaders from different denominations and schools of thought. Participants at the meeting said they raised concerns relating to development, law and order, and education.The BRS attempted to enlist the support of popular faith leader Maulana Ahmed Naqshbandi, a resident of that constituency. Former IT Minister and BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao sought to reach out to Muslim voters and accused the Congress of treating the Muslim vote as its proprietorship. The party also brought on board Mohammed Salman, founder of Hyderabad Youth Courage. Mr. Salman, previously seen with the AIMIM leadership before a public break, had announced his intention to contest the byelection as an independent after criticising the BRS. After joining the BRS in the presence of Mr. Rama Rao, he apologised for his remarks against former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao.Published - November 14, 2025 02:47 pm IST