Political tensions rise in Telangana over election methods and hate speech legislation

In Telangana, BJP President N. Ramchander Rao has criticized Rahul Gandhi for his claims regarding electronic voting machines (EVMs) and vote theft. Rao argued that the BJP's recent victory in a ballot paper election for the Bengaluru Teachers' Constituency—where NDA candidate A. P. Ranganath defeated sitting Congress MLC Puttanna—disproves allegations of EVM manipulation.

Separately, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has called on the Telangana government to withdraw or fundamentally redraft the Telangana Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2026. The BRS expressed concerns that the proposed legislation could be used to suppress lawful criticism, the free press, and political opposition. The party argued that existing laws, such as the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Information Technology Act, 2000, are sufficient to address hate speech, suggesting the current issue is one of enforcement rather than a lack of statute.