Controversial BJP MLA Raja Singh confident of hat-trick victory from Goshamahal

Assembly constituency- Goshamahal

District: Hyderabad

MLA: Raja Singh (Lodha)

Reservation: GEN

Total Voters: 2,59,544

Booths: 235

Urban Voters: 100 %

Rural Voters: 0 %

Male: 53 %

Female: 46 %

Caste & Religious Demography

Gen + BC: 95 %

SC: 3 %

ST: 2 %

Hindu: 27%

Muslim: 70 %

Others : 3 %

Candidates

Tiger Raja Singh (BJP)

Raja Singh, born on April 15, 1977, to Naval Singh and Rama Bai, is a well-known BJP leader from Hyderabad. He is married to T Usha Bai and the couple have three sons and one daughter. He was attracted to RSS because it reflected his patriotism and beliefs and became part of youth wing. Raja Singh's organises the Ramnavami Shobha Yatra, Gau Rakshak activities. He has close to 75 FIRs registered against him, according to a recent report..

Political background

Raja Singh, popularly known as Tiger Raja Bhai, worked as an auto-driver before embarking on his political journey. He was the only BJP MLA to retain his seat in the 2018 Assembly elections, while his colleagues, including party president K Laxman, Kishan Reddy, Chintala Ramachandra Reddy, and NVSS Prabhakar, lost from their respective constituencies.

Raja Singh began his political career with the TDP, but after growing up in the shadow of the RSS, he switched loyalties to the BJP with an aim to serve the Hindu community. He is well-known in Goshamahal and has a large fan base including an extremely loyal and growing cadre.

Raja Singh faced several criminal charges stemming from his numerous controversial comments about Islam. He was even suspended from the BJP after being arrested under the PD Act by the Telangana police for his controversial remarks about Prophet Mohammad.

The BJP lifted his suspension ahead of the Telangana Assembly elections, and was given Goshamahal ticket to contest on behalf of the BJP in Telangana Assembly elections 2023.

Nanda Kishore Vyas (BRS)

Nanda Kishore Vyas (44), the son of Madan Lal Vyas, is a real estate developer and the director of Aditya Krishna Builders. Nanda Kishore is a social worker too and the president of Sikhwal Samaj in addition to being the in-charge of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Goshamahal constituency.

Vyas, popularly known as Nandu Bilal, had contested as independent from Goshamahal in 2014. The BRShas fielded Nanda Kishore Vyas Bilal against the BJP's controversial leader and incumbent MLA Tiger Raja Singh.

Mogili Sunita (Congress)

Mogili Sunita, a senior High Court advocate and president of the Telangana Pradesh Mahila Congress (TPPC), is the Congress party's candidate in Goshamahal. She was appointed as the TPPC's women cell in-charge by the Congress in June 2021.

Constituency details

Geography

The constituency came into existence in the 2009 elections after the delimitation exercise. Previously it was known as Maharajganj constituency.

Background

The BJP has consistently won four of the last six major elections, while the Congress and the TDP each won once in Goshamahal. The BJP has won elections in Goshamahal in 1999, 2014, and 2018.

2014 Assembly elections analysis

Raja Singh defeated Mukesh Goud, a former Congress MLA who served as a Cabinet Minister in the united Andhra Pradesh Government from 2010 to 2014.

During Mukesh Goud's tenure, Goshamahal constituency experienced significant development, but there was also growing anti-incumbency against him. Raja Singh won since the public favoured Hindutva sentiment over regular manifestos.

Prem Kumar, the TRS (now BRS) candidate in the 2014 election, and his family relocated to Telangana from Maharashtra several years ago and had settled here.

Nandakishore Vyas, an independent candidate from Goshamahal, relocated with his family from Rajasthan to Hyderabad a few years ago.

All parties aimed for the North Indian and Muslim votes from the 2.3 lakh electorate, with over 50 percent hailing from North India and 24 percent being Muslim voters in Goshamahal constituency.

BJP candidate Raja Singh leveraged his Hindutva image to attract right-wing activists through controversial speeches.

Raja Singh was seen as an alternative to the AIMIM leaders. He gained significant attention for his participation in Ramnavami's Shobha yatra.

The AIMIM campaigned for the TRS in the Assembly constituency which had a Muslim vote bank, which determined the candidate's victory or defeat.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's successful public meetings significantly increased the Hindutva factor among the public. Raja Singh capitalised on the opportunity and attracted the majority of North Indian and Andhra settlers votes, ensuring a decisive victory.

2018 Assembly elections analysis

The TRS and the Congress candidates' winning chances were dependent on their ability to garner North Indian and Muslim votes in the constituency. All parties focused on 50 per cent North Indian and 25 per cent Muslim votes as they were considered gamechangers.

The BJP's Raja Singh, who was a sitting MLA, faced opposition from his own Lodh community after he failed to deliver his promise of rehabilitating families involved in the production and sale of Gudumba.

He raised several issues in the Assembly and claimed that the TRS Government was not attentive to their concerns. The TRS was identified as the main culprit, whereas majority of the public still viewed him as a competent leader and trusted his leadership.

The Goshamahal constituency is usually won by a candidate who received over 50,000 votes according to previous election results. Raja Singh's Hindutva agenda, supported by the BJP leaders especially Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. significantly influenced the North Indian population, securing 50,000 votes, thus securing his victory.

Current situation

Vikram Goud, the son of Congress leader and former State Minister Mukesh Goud, joined the BJP on November 27 in Hyderabad, in the presence of senior leaders, ahead of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) polls in 2020. His father died on July 30, 2019.

Several discussions were held regarding the BJP candidate for the Goshamahal constituency in the upcoming elections. He was also considered as the alternate BJP candidate for Goshamahal in the Telangana Assembly elections in 2023, instead of Raja Singh. However, Raja Singh was given the Goshamahal ticket by the BJP.