Congress Aims to Win 80% Votes in Municipal Elections

Hyderabad:The ruling Congress has set an ambitious target of winning more than 80 per cent of the municipalities and municipal corporations in the municipal elections scheduled for February 11, banking heavily on the welfare schemes and development programmes implemented by the Revanth Reddy-led government over the past two years.

With the elections being fought on party symbols and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy himself holding the municipal administration portfolio, the polls have assumed added political significance for the party. The Congress leadership is viewing these elections as both a referendum on its governance and an opportunity to consolidate its growing influence among urban voters.

The party is keen to sustain its winning momentum in Telangana, which began with the 2023 Assembly elections that ended the decade-long BRS rule and brought the Congress to power for the first time in India’s youngest state.

It was followed by a strong performance in the May 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where the party secured eight of the 17 seats, and further gains in the Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly by-election in 2024 and the Jubilee Hills by-election in 2025. More recently, Congress-backed candidates won about 66 per cent of the gram panchayats in the elections held in December 2025. Against this backdrop, the municipal polls are being seen as a crucial test of public approval for the government, which completed two years in office in December 2025.

In preparation, the Congress has adopted a structured and data-driven approach to candidate selection by engaging three independent survey agencies. The state has been divided into three regions, each entrusted to a separate agency for assessing the winning prospects of aspirants in municipal corporations and municipalities.

One agency has been assigned the areas falling under the Chevella and Malkajgiri parliamentary constituencies, another has been given responsibility for northern Telangana and the Hyderabad region, while the third is covering the municipalities in the southern parts of the state.

Applications from aspirants have already been received division-wise from all corporations and municipalities, and the lists are being scrutinised based on parameters such as popularity, public support and winnability. Revanth Reddy has repeatedly stated that tickets would be given only to candidates with strong prospects of victory, a message that has also been conveyed clearly to the ministers in charge of various districts.

The survey report covering the Chevella and Malkajgiri parliamentary segments has already been submitted to the party high command, while the remaining two reports are expected on Wednesday. Once all reports are received, they will be shared with the in-charge ministers, who will hold consultations with MLAs before finalising the candidates by Thursday. The last date for filing nominations is Friday.

Along with electoral strategy, the Congress is also focusing on Backward Classes representation. Although the government’s proposal to implement 42 per cent reservations for BCs through legislation could not be realised so far, the party high command is keen to compensate by allotting a higher number of tickets to BC candidates in general category seats.

This move is aimed at demonstrating the party’s commitment to social justice. Party sources said a broad consensus has already emerged among party leadership on prioritising BC representation in candidate selection.

Reflecting this approach, a large number of BC men and women aspirants have reportedly applied for tickets even in general seats, By combining welfare-driven governance, a strong organisational strategy and a focus on social inclusiveness, the Congress hopes to continue its winning streak in Telangana and further strengthen its base in urban areas ahead of crucial GHMC elections.