The Congress party, which recently secured 66 percent of sarpanch posts in the panchayat elections and consolidated rural support across Telangana, has now extended its winning momentum to urban areas by capturing nearly 70 percent of seats in the municipal elections, the results of which were announced on Friday.
Analysts interpret the back-to-back victories in rural and urban local body polls as a clear endorsement of the Congress government’s two-year tenure in the state.
“The results indicate that both rural and urban voters have effectively delivered a vote of confidence in the administration led by chief minister A Revanth Reddy,” an analyst said.
Political observers argue that the municipal poll results represent a strong reaffirmation of public trust in Revanth Reddy’s leadership.
The chief minister, who was frequently mocked by the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) as a “lottery CM,” has, according to party insiders, disproved such criticism through a string of electoral victories.
Initially, there were speculations that internal dissent from Congress seniors could destabilise the government or that Revanth Reddy’s position might weaken within the party. But the assumptions have also failed to materialise. Instead, the municipal poll outcome has further entrenched his position within both the party and the government.
In the assembly elections, the Congress secured a majority of its seats primarily from rural constituencies. However, the sweeping victory in the municipal polls has demonstrated growing support for the government in urban areas as well, party sources noted.
They pointed out that while the Congress formed the government with a simple majority of 64 seats in the assembly, the successive electoral wins have strengthened its political footing.
After forming the government, the party performed strongly in the Lok Sabha elections and went on to register victories in the Secunderabad Cantonment by-election, Jubilee Hills by-election, and the recent sarpanch elections.
The BRS, the principal opposition party, not only lost the Jubilee Hills sitting seat but also faces the challenge of retaining its political relevance as 10 MLAs elected on BRS tickets continue as associate members of the Congress in the assembly.
However, the successive electoral victories have dispelled such concerns and enhanced the stability of the government. Party sources claim the administration has grown stronger and more cohesive over time.
Congress leaders say public support for the party has significantly increased compared to the assembly elections. They point out that panchayat elections were held across 94 Assembly constituencies, of which the Congress secured majorities in 87.
Similarly, the municipal elections covered 81 assembly constituencies, and the Congress demonstrated clear dominance in 68 of them.
The opposition parties collectively managed to maintain influence in only 13 constituencies, according to party estimates.
The ruling party has expressed confidence that similar results will be repeated in the upcoming Parishad and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections.
Political analysts suggest that the Congress victory in municipal elections has further strengthened the chief minister’s authority within the party and government.
With successive electoral successes, his standing with the party high command has improved, and he is now expected to exercise greater autonomy in governance.
Most ministers performed well in their respective constituencies, with the Congress winning a majority of municipalities represented by cabinet members and the chief minister.
Except for Medak, the Congress won a majority of municipalities in nearly all Lok Sabha constituencies, underscoring its growing political dominance in the state.