Hyderabad: The New Year 2026 will be full of hectic political activity as Telangana is bracing for a series of elections this year. MPTC, ZPTC, Municipal elections are round the corner in early 2026 while polls to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) are set to stir the state politics this year with the three political parties - ruling Congress and the opposition BRS and BJP getting ready to show their political dominance in the core urban area.

Further, cooperative society elections, mainly primary agriculture cooperative societies (PACs), District Central Co-operative Bank (DCCB) and District Cooperative Marketing Society (DCMS) elections are likely to be held after May in the state. One MLC seat under Nizamabad local authorities’ quota will be filled following the resignation of BRS MLC K Kavitha. Besides, three MLC posts under Governor quota will be filled at the year end. The issue related to two more MLC seats under Governor quota is still pending in the court.

On the instructions of the state government, the State Election Commission (SEC) has already begun an exercise to hold municipal elections, and the notification will be issued towards January end or February first week.

In view of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s Davos visit to attend the World Economic Forum from January 19 to 23, the SEC will issue notification accordingly. Sources said that the commission will submit a tentative schedule of the municipal elections in a week and the Chief Minister will take final call.

After the urban local body elections, the government is planning to hold polls to mandal parishad territorial constituencies (MPTCs) and zilla parishad territorial constituencies (ZPTCs) after the presentation of the Annual Budget for 2026-2027 financial year. These elections will be held only after the completion of public examinations for 10th class and intermediate in view of the huge requirement of the officials for the polls. A decision on the elections will be taken depending on the outcome of the municipal elections. The ruling Congress is expecting good results in its favour in the urban elections. If the party faces any public ire, then the government is likely to delay MPTC and ZPTC elections.

Following the government’s decision of the reorganization of the GHMC, leaders said that political equations will change rapidly, and the Congress is hoping to get public support in the corporation elections. An alliance with AIMIM will be an advantage for the ruling party in a significant number of wards in the GHMC limits. These elections are likely to be held in September or October. However, suspense over cooperative elections will end only when the government takes decision on filling the PAC, DCCM and DCMS positions on nomination basis. The posts will be filled in July and August.

Three MLCs under Governor quota will fall vacant when the terms of B Saraiah, B Dayanand and Goreti Venkanna end in November this year. The Congress is likely to fill these positions with senior Congress leaders. Many leaders are aspiring for these MLC positions.

The two vacant MLC posts under Governor quota are still vacant due to a pending petition in the Supreme Court. Names of State Minorities Minister Mohd Azarudddin and Telangana Jana Samiti leader M Kodandaram have already been approved by the state Cabinet for the vacant MLC positions, but their appointment can only be completed after the court’s verdict.