Late MLA Maganti’s mother accuses daughter-in-law as Jubilee Hills By-Election campaign reaches climax

The high-voltage campaign for the Jubilee Hills Assembly by-election, scheduled for November 11, has reached a dramatic and emotional climax. In a shocking twist, the 92-year-old mother of late BRS MLA Maganti Gopinath has publicly alleged foul play in her son’s death, turning the contest into a deeply personal family feud just days before polling.

Gopinath’s mother and brother have questioned the circumstances surrounding his sudden demise, suggesting that not all was as it appeared. Their statements and a police complaint filed by the family have added a new dimension to the by-election, which was already charged with emotion, as Gopinath’s widow, Maganti Sunitha, is contesting the seat on a BRS ticket.

Many observers view the timing of these allegations as an attempt to create distractions and influence voters’ sentiments. Supporters of Maganti Sunitha have denounced the attacks as “below-the-belt politics,” arguing that society is often unforgiving toward women who refuse to step back from public life. Social media has also been abuzz with posts defending her resilience and highlighting her two-decade-long partnership with Gopinath.

Earlier in the day, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, campaigning for BJP candidate Deepak Reddy in Erragadda, described the by-election as “a turning point for Telangana’s political future.” He urged party workers to commit themselves to bringing “nationalist forces to power” and accused the Congress of divisive politics, a veiled response to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s remarks linking the party with the Muslim community.

Shekhawat said he was confident that the people of Telangana would mirror the high voter turnout seen in Bihar’s first-phase polls, signalling a strong resurgence of the NDA. His roadshow drew enthusiastic participation from local BJP leaders and MLAs, giving the party’s campaign fresh momentum.

Meanwhile, former BRS MLA Jeevan Reddy alleged that Congress leaders in Jubilee Hills were attempting to buy votes through cash, sarees, and gifts distributed in areas like Borabanda Site-3 and Ambedkar Nagar. He claimed that local leaders Yadamma and Rajeshwari were supervising these activities and criticised officials for ignoring viral videos showing money being distributed. “The silence of authorities only fuels public dissatisfaction,” he said, urging the Election Commission to take immediate action.

To ensure smooth conduct of polling, Hyderabad District Collector Harichandana Dasari, IAS, has declared official holidays for election-related staff November 10 for pre-poll arrangements, November 11 for voting, and November 14 for counting.

As Jubilee Hills heads into the final hours before polling, political strategy has given way to emotion and accusation. What began as a contest among parties has become a collision of personal grief and public ambition, one that could shape the tone of Telangana’s politics well beyond this by-election.