Published Feb 09, 2026 | 3:11 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 09, 2026 | 3:11 PM
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy. Credit: x.com/revanth_anumula
Synopsis: Congress is intensifying its campaign ahead of Telangana’s municipal polls on 11 February, shifting to door-to-door outreach and micro-level voter management. With rebels threatening to split votes and BRS and BJP mounting challenges, the party is banking on welfare narratives, inducements, and last-minute poll management. Stakes are high, as control of urban bodies means grassroots political power.
With the clock ticking for the municipal elections in Telangana on 11 February, Congress is making a last-ditch effort to win a majority of urban local bodies, lest the winning narrative should shift to BRS.
From high-voltage campaigning and micro-level voter outreach to aggressive poll management with alleged inducements, the ruling party is pulling out all the stops to turn the tide in its favour.
The pressure is palpable across the Congress ranks. Ministers, MLAs and MLCs have been told that there is no room for complacency. Any poor show in the urban polls, coming close on the heels of the party’s mixed performance and the visible “green shoots” shown by BRS in the recent panchayat elections, could cost ministers their berths and significantly weaken the clout of legislators within the party organisation.
After a week of marathon public meetings, roadshows and whistle-stop gatherings, Congress leadership has now shifted the focus decisively to doorstep politics.
Clear instructions have been issued to leaders at all levels to go door to door. The emphasis is on granular voter management — collecting booth-wise and ward-wise data, mapping beneficiaries of government schemes, and personally explaining how each family has benefited under the Congress dispensation.
Party leaders say the final two days of campaigning are being treated as critical to plugging local-level weaknesses that may not show up in public meetings. They seem to be confident as they are experts in last minute poll management as evidenced in the Jubilee Hills by-election where they managed to turn the tide in their favour from the BRS using methods both fair and not so fair.
Alongside selling the government’s welfare and development narrative, the exercise is also aimed at strengthening the Congress organisation at the grassroots.
In several municipalities and wards, senior leaders are working overtime to pacify rebel candidates to retire from contest and make appeal to the voters to support the official candidate. Rebels are one of the party’s biggest headaches now, as several of them are poised to split the Congress vote help either the BRS or the BJP.
Congress has consciously decided not to announce mayoral and municipal chairperson candidates before the elections. The leadership fears that premature announcements could spark dissatisfaction and internal disputes at a sensitive moment. Instead, these decisions will be taken after the results, depending on the numbers and local equations.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has been personally monitoring the campaign. He reportedly spoke to the ministers and underscored the need to win a maximum number of urban local bodies. This appears to have had an effect as ministers since then intensified their ground-level presence, camping in districts, holding late-night meetings with candidates and cadres, and paying special attention to poll-day management
On Sunday, 8 February, Revanth Reddy reviewed the situation with deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and others. The discussions focused on the party’s strengths and vulnerabilities across municipalities. The ministers reportedly told the CM that the atmosphere was favourable for Congress in all seven municipal corporations and in a majority of municipalities.
Adding to the intensity of the final phase are widespread reports of voter inducements across the state. With just two days left for polling, allegations of cash, liquor, gold, sarees and assorted freebies being distributed openly have surfaced from several municipalities, particularly in areas that were once BRS strongholds.
The Election Commission’s flying squads and static surveillance teams have seized inducements worth over Rs 2.02 crore during the Model Code of Conduct period so far. This includes RS 89.30 lakh in cash, liquor worth Rs 84.89 lakh, drugs and narcotics valued at Rs 13.27 lakh, precious metals worth Rs 14.69 lakh and other freebies such as tablets and vehicles. The seizures are seen as only the tip of the iceberg and material that is actually pumped might be several fols more in value.
The battle is expected to be particularly fierce in Warangal and Karimnagar districts, where BRS still retains influence through its former ministers and the KCR family.
In parts of Adilabad, BJP has emerged as a spoiler by fielding strong local leaders and targeting Congress over coal belt issues. BRS, meanwhile, is said to be is also working hard by meeting the voters and establishing personal contact.
For Congress, the stakes could not be higher. Control of urban local bodies means influence over building permissions, trade licences and development funds — levers of power that can shape politics on the ground. But going may not be so easy with the resurgent BRS and a determined BJP getting ready to spoil its broth.
(Edited by Amit Vasudev)
