Hyderabad’s political landscape has been rocked by escalating tensions following the controversial appearance of posters critical of Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, leading to the swift arrest of several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. The incident, unfolding just as the Congress government marks two years in power, has ignited a fierce debate over freedom of expression and alleged authoritarian tactics, transforming the state capital into a battleground of accusations and counter-accusations between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP.
The controversy erupted prominently around December 9, 2025, when a series of posters surfaced near the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) headquarters, Gandhi Bhavan, in Hyderabad. These visually striking posters depicted Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on a throne-like chair, surrounded by robotic arms holding placards. The banners bore the provocative headline, “Two-Year Progress Report of Congress CM Revanth Reddy,” and listed a litany of allegations against his administration. The accusations ranged from claims of a “secret deal with KCR/KTR,” “brothers controlling real estate,” and “monthly hafta to Delhi,” to “temple demolitions,” “25% commission on everything,” and providing a “free hand to rowdies.” The posters also mockingly suggested contacting Gandhi Bhavan for “more information.”
The posters were widely circulated, notably by the BJP’s social media handles, which amplified the “two-year failures” narrative against the Congress government. The BJP asserted that these posters merely reflected public sentiment and constituted legitimate political criticism. However, the ruling Congress viewed the act as a deliberate attempt to defame the Chief Minister and destabilize the government.
The situation quickly escalated into a legal battle. On December 6, a Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) employee filed a formal complaint regarding the posters. Acting on this complaint, the Telangana Police moved swiftly, apprehending three prominent BJP leaders: Sumiran Komarraju, the BJP Social Media State Convenor; Ajay, a State Core Committee member; and party leader Tatipamula Sai Kiran Goud. They were reportedly served notices and subsequently arrested under sections 353(1) and 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, related to obstructing a public servant from discharging duty and assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty.
The arrests triggered an immediate and furious backlash from the BJP, which vehemently condemned the police action as arbitrary, politically motivated, and a direct assault on democratic principles and free speech. BJP leaders accused the Congress government of misusing police machinery to silence dissent and adopting an “emergency-style” approach, drawing parallels to alleged authoritarianism during the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) regime. Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy publicly criticized the arrests, branding them a severe blow to freedom of expression. Amit Malviya, BJP IT cell head, also questioned the arrests on social media, highlighting the alleged hypocrisy of the Congress on free speech and accusing the government of activating an entire police machinery to target a single critic.
This incident is not an isolated event but rather the latest flashpoint in an ongoing “poster war” that has characterized Telangana’s political landscape, particularly in Hyderabad. Earlier in January 2025, a similar confrontation unfolded between the Congress and the then-opposition BRS. That skirmish began with the BRS erecting billboards featuring an image from the “note-for-vote” scandal involving Revanth Reddy, cautioning the public against selling their votes. The Congress swiftly retaliated with counter-hoardings, including one with the tagline, “Is it burning in your stomach with the new investments brought to the state? Use ENO,” cleverly mocking the BRS’s criticism and highlighting the Congress government’s success in attracting significant investments to Hyderabad. This earlier exchange showcased the creative and often humorous, yet deeply confrontational, nature of political messaging in the state.
The current escalation involving the BJP, however, carries a more serious undertone due to the arrests. The BJP’s strong reaction, likening the Congress’s actions to an “Emergency mindset” and claiming that “Rahul Gandhi’s ‘mohabbat ki dukaan’ is a farce,” underscores the depth of the political chasm. The party has consistently accused the Congress government of failing to fulfill key poll promises made during the last assembly elections and of resorting to heavy-handed tactics to quash any critique.
As the Congress government completes its second year, the opposition parties are evidently keen to scrutinize its performance closely. This poster controversy serves as a clear indication that the political climate in Telangana remains highly charged, with rival parties employing every available medium, from traditional posters to social media, to influence public perception and challenge their adversaries. The incident raises pertinent questions about the boundaries of political satire and criticism, and the state’s approach to dissent, as the political heat continues to rise in Hyderabad.
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