The ruling Congress party has emerged as the clear winner in the 2026 Telangana Municipal Elections, bagging at least 62 out of 116 municipalities and securing a majority in three out of seven corporations (Mancherial, Ramagundam, and Nalgonda). Out of the total 2,582 municipal wards, Congress secured a staggering 1,325 seats, while in the municipal corporations, the party won 154 out of the 291 divisions declared so far. This victory is seen as a major endorsement of the state government’s “Praja Palana” initiatives.

The main opposition, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), managed to capture power in 12 municipalities and secured 707 wards, maintaining its position as the primary challenger. Meanwhile, the BJP stood as a distant third globally but showed strength in its strongholds, leading in the Nizamabad and Karimnagar corporations. A significant development was also seen in the Kothagudem corporation, where a tie occurred with both Congress and the CPI winning 22 seats each, and in Waddepally, where the Forward Block (backed by K. Kavitha) took control.

With no clear winner in 37 municipalities, “camp politics” has already begun as both Congress and BRS scramble to win over independents to secure chairperson posts. The State Election Commission (SEC) reported a high voter turnout of over 73 percent. The next crucial step begins on February 16 (Monday), when the newly elected councillors and corporators will take their oaths and officially elect the Mayors, Deputy Mayors, and Municipal Chairpersons.