The state of Telangana is gearing up for elections on November 30, 2023, with 119 seats up for grabs on the same day. Despite being a stronghold of the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) (formerly TRS), the southern state faces stiff competition from the Indian National Congress (INC).
On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has yet to make significant inroads into the state and is entering the elections with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the leading face of their campaign.
The Telangana elections will showcase prominent figures contesting from their respective constituencies.
Here are four hot seats to watch in the upcoming elections:
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Akbaruddin Owaisi is contesting from this seat for the sixth time.
Known for his controversial speeches, Akbaruddin has consistently won the family seat since unseating his father’s rival, Amanullah Khan, in 1999.
In 2018, Akbaruddin secured the seat with 67.95% of the votes. However, this time, he has surprised many by nominating his son, Nooruddin Owaisi, as a backup candidate.
#WATCH | AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi filed his nomination from Chandrayangutta Assembly Constituency today for the upcoming #TelanganaElection2023 pic.twitter.com/2T1sG8SFV4
— ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2023
The Goshamahal seat is another hotly contested one in the Telangana elections, with BJP’s controversial and sole MLA Raja Singh fielded once again by the party.
Singh, who was suspended by the party after an inflammatory speech, was reinstated a day before the party announced its candidates for the elections.
कमल खिलाएंगे फिर इस बार!
— Raja Singh (@TigerRajaSingh) November 8, 2023
Padyatra in Gunfoundry Division of #Goshamahal Assembly with @BJP4Telangana cadre.#TelanganaWithBJP #GoshamahalWithBJP@narendramodi @AmitShah @jpnadda @blsanthosh pic.twitter.com/c2A1oj0pfq
#WATCH | Former Cricketer and Congress candidate from Jubilee Hills, Mohammad Azharuddin says, "Public response is good. The response we received is that there is goondaism and rowdyism, that there is no development..." pic.twitter.com/m9hQDGzq4E
— ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2023
#Telangana Chief Minister #KChandrasekharRao filed nomination from Gajwel Assembly constituency for November 30 elections.
— IANS (@ians_india) November 9, 2023
After reaching Gajwel by a helicopter from Hyderabad, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (#BRS) chief drove to the integrated office complex to file his nomination… pic.twitter.com/nx0FrrCjsB
Kamareddy is a TRS stronghold, having been won by TRS candidate Gampa Govardhan four times in 2009, 2011, 2014, and 2018.
Congress has fielded its state president, Revanth Reddy, against KCR, promising an exciting contest as the seat was once a Congress bastion too. KCR, on the other hand, has consistently won the Gajwel constituency since 2014.
The counting of votes will take place on December 3, 2023.