Counting continued for the Jubilee Hills by-election, and Congress candidate Naveen Yadav stayed ahead from the first round. Both BRS and BJP candidates struggled to close the gap as the rounds moved forward. By the end of the eighth round, Naveen expanded his lead to more than 23,000 votes. Officials also counted 101 postal ballots. Out of these, 96 remained valid. Naveen secured 43 votes, while BRS candidate Maganti Sunitha gained 25, and BJP candidate Deepak Reddy received 20.
The strong performance boosted the confidence of Congress workers. They watched every round with excitement as Naveen increased his lead each time. The trend signalled a clear advantage for the party. Supporters began preparations for celebrations after seeing the widening margin.
At Gandhi Bhavan, Congress cadres gathered in large numbers. They burst crackers and shared sweets as joy spread across the party office. Many leaders and workers raised slogans in support of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Revanth Reddy. The festive atmosphere reflected their belief in an assured victory.
As counting approached the final rounds, Congress looked set for a comfortable win. Party leaders monitored developments closely, while supporters continued their celebrations across the city.
