Cong dominates postponed Polls in 8 Civic Bodies amid Tensions

metro india news  I hyderabad

In a significant development, elections for Chairpersons in 8 postponed Municipalities across Telangana were completed today, with the Indian National Congress (INC) emerging victorious in seven out of eight finalized civic bodies. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) managed to secure one win, while proceedings in three municipalities—Ibrahimpatnam, Kyathanpally, and Khanapur—remain pending due to ongoing disruptions and procedural issues.

The completed elections saw the following results: Yellandu: INC, Sultanabad: INC, Kagaznagar: INC, Zaheerabad: INC, Indresham: BRS, Dornakal: INC, Thorrur: INC, Jangaon: INC

These outcomes align with the broader trend in Telangana's 2026 urban local body elections, where Congress has captured 93 chairperson posts out of 113 declared municipalities so far, reflecting strong public support for the ruling party's governance initiatives. Overall, the polls covered 2,996 wards in 123 urban local bodies, with Congress securing 1,526 wards, BRS 781, BJP 261, and others 428.

However, the day was marred by incidents of violence, particularly in Kyathanpally Municipality, Mancherial district. Tensions escalated when BRS former MLA Balka Suman and his supporters allegedly attacked the convoy of Labour and Mines Minister Dr. G. Vivek Venkataswamy and Peddapalli MP Gaddam Vamsi Krishna, who were attending as co-option members. Stones were pelted, damaging vehicles and injuring a police constable and a Congress worker. 

Police resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd, leading to a temporary halt in proceedings.

Minister Venkataswamy condemned the actions as an "assault on democracy," accusing Suman of violating the Model Code of Conduct by mobilizing groups and inciting unrest. He highlighted video evidence of the events and demanded immediate legal action against Suman, criticizing BRS's history of intimidation tactics during their regime. Venkataswamy emphasized that the elections were conducted democratically without coercion, attributing the violence to BRS's frustration over recent defeats.

In Thorrur Municipality, the contest ended in a 9-9 tie between INC and BRS, resolved through a draw of lots favoring Congress candidate Thunam Shravan as chairperson. A similar lottery decided Jangaon's outcome in Congress's favor, underscoring the razor-thin margins in some areas.

The Telangana State Election Commission has lifted the Model Code of Conduct for completed polls, but vigilance remains high in pending areas. These results bolster Congress's urban dominance, following their sweep in five of seven municipal corporations, while BRS struggles to regain footing after failing to win any corporation.