High drama, clashes and postponements mark municipal chairman elections across Telangana

Elections for municipal chairperson and vice-chairperson posts turned chaotic, triggering clashes among supporters of the ruling Congress and Opposition BRS, BJP, and others in many places in the State on Monday. Ironically, the ruling Congress and its rival BJP reportedly joined hands to secure the chairperson and vice-chairperson posts through a ‘sharing system’, while BRS and Congress also reportedly entered into an understanding to grab the posts.

Of the 112 urban local bodies — whose results of indirect elections were declared on Monday (February 16, 2026) — Congress secured 86 Chairperson or Mayor posts, followed by BRS with 18, 2 by BJP, one each by CPI and AIFB, and four by independent candidates.

However, authorities postponed elections in 11 civic bodies due to disputes, protests, lack of quorum, and allegations of political interference. The postponed municipalities include Thorrur, Yellandu, Sultanabad, Ibrahimpatnam, Kagaznagar, Kyatanapalli, Khanapur, Zaheerabad, Indresham, Dornakal and Jangaon.

Heated scenes prevailed at Thorrur town in Mahabubabad district as Warangal Congress MP Kadiyam Kavya and Palakurthi Congress MLA M. Yashaswini Reddy registered themselves as ex-officio members, which was objected to by the BRS who alleged that Dr. Kavya was an ex-officio member in the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC). The dispute quickly escalated into slogan-shouting and scuffles between party cadres, forcing authorities to postpone the election to Tuesday.

At Ibrahimpatnam in Rangareddy district, Dornakal in Mahabubabad and Yellandu in Bhadradri-Kothagudem, elections of chairperson and vice-chairperson were deferred due to ‘lack of quorum’, as several members skipped the oath-taking ceremonies.

Elections were delayed in Sultanabad in Peddapalli district, Indresham in Sangareddy district and Kyantanpalli in Mancherial district because parties failed to finalise candidates or due to lack of quorum.

With both Congress, including CPM ally, and BRS tied at 13 seats each, ex-officio votes of Bhuvanagiri Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy and Jangaon BRS MLA Palla Rajeswara Reddy brought the tally to another 14-14 deadlock in Jangaon Municipality.

Independents became decisive, prompting allegations of councillor kidnapping. Police stopped vehicles of BRS councillors, triggering a heated argument between MLA Palla Rajeshwar Reddy and senior police officials. Elections were postponed amid the standoff.

BRS senior MLA and former minister T. Harish Rao made a scathing attack on Congress and BJP, alleging that the two parties had compromised ideologies and joined hands solely to block BRS from power. He cited instances in Narsapur, Aliabad, Metpally, Amangal, and other municipalities where Congress and BJP allegedly shared chairperson and vice-chairperson posts.

In Aliabad of Medchal-Malkajgiri district, Congress secured the chairperson post with BJP support in the 20-member body, while Independent councillor Bandari Anusha was elected chairperson with backing from Congress, BRS, AIMIM, and independents in Adilabad.

In Bhainsa, independent councillor T. Dattatri won with support from the BJP, AIMIM, and Congress. In Nirmal, Congress captured power, with Appala Kavya elected chairperson and her husband Appala Ganesh as vice-chairperson.