Jaago Voter…Choose Your Leader: Major parties brace for keen tussle

Hyderabad: Musheerabad Assembly constituency is one of the oldest and largest constituencies in Hyderabad. It is part of Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency. MLA Muta Gopal is the sitting MLA and won the seat by defeating INC and BJP strongest contenders with majority of votes. There is a tough competition between BRS, INC, and BJP in the constituency.

The constituency was formed in 1952 and was the fortress of INC. T Anjaiah from INC and former Chief Minister of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh represented the constituency three times in 1962, 1967 and 1972 and even during the by-poll in 2008, INC won the seat with majority of votes.

The constituency has over 2.75 lakh voters and presently comprises neighbourhoods Musheerabad, Chikkadpally, Ashok Nagar, Domalguda, Ramnagar, Kavadiguda, Azamabad, Parsigutta, Adikmet, Nallakunta, Bagh Lingampally, Vidyanagar. It is considered to be one of the largest constituencies, and all-party contenders have been fighting to win the seat.

The MLA from BRS Muta Gopal won over his nearest opponent Anil Kumar Yadav of INC by a margin of 36,910 votes. The INC candidate received 36,087 votes, and Muta Gopal secured 72,997 votes.

In the last two terms of the Assembly elections, in 2014 Dr K Laxman won seat with 65,209 (43.5 per cent) votes, BRS Muta Gopal received 37,823 (25.3 per cent) votes, and INC’s P Vinay Kumar stood third with 26,808 (17.9 per cent) votes.

While in 2018, the BRS candidate Muta Gopal won the seat with 72,997 (50.42 per cent) polled votes, Anil Kumar Yadav from INC stood second with 36,087 (24.93 per cent) votes, and BJP’s Dr K Laxman got 30,813 (21.28 per cent) votes. BRS candidate defeated BJP’s strong contender who earlier won two terms.

During the elections in 2018, Muta Gopal was hospitalised, his son MutaJaisimha took the burden of campaigning on behalf of his father. And he won the seat with a 25 per cent majority of votes.

In upcoming elections, there are chances of the same candidates from INC, BRS and BJP to get a ticket as earlier they received a good number of votes.

Anjan Kumar Yadav, former MP who defeated former union minister and senior BJP leader Bandaru Dattatreya, fielded his son Anil Kumar Yadav as INC candidate in 2018 and stood second in number. Anil Kumar is the State Youth Congress president and worked as NSUI leader.

There is a keen triangular fight in the Musheerabad constituency among three major parties BRS, INC and BJP.

With AIMIM aiming more seats in upcoming elections, the party is eyeing two seats including Musheerabad and Jubilee Hills assembly constituencies for the 2023 elections.

These two assembly segments are located outside the Old City and are presently represented by its friendly party, BRS.

Also, the party had been winning one or two municipal divisions in the Musheerabad assembly constituency, which has a sizable minority population.

2018

Party Candidate Votes

BRS Muta Gopal 72,997 (50.42%)

INC Anil Kumar Yadav 36,087 (24.93%)

BJP Dr K Laxman 30,813 (21.28%)

2014

Party Candidate Votes

BJP Dr K Laxman 65,209 (43.5%)

BRS Muta Gopal 37,823 (25.3%)

INC P Vinay Kumar 26,808 (17.9%)