Telangana Municipal Elections 2026 LIVE: Polling Underway Amid Row Over BJP Candidate's Suspected Suicide

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Telangana Municipal Elections 2026 LIVE: Polling started on Wednesday in elections for 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations in Telangana, featuring a three-way contest among the ruling Congress and opposition parties BJP and BRS.

Voting opened at 7 am and is scheduled to continue until 5 pm.

A total of 5.217 million voters-2.55 million men and 2.667 million women, are eligible to participate.

According to the Telangana State Election Commission, 10,719 candidates are competing for 2,569 wards across the 116 municipalities, while 2,225 candidates are contesting 412 wards in the seven municipal corporations.

The SEC stated that more than 41,000 polling personnel have been deployed, and 16,382 ballot boxes will be used for the elections. Vote counting is scheduled for February 13.

According to Narayanpet Police, a 46-year-old Mahadevappa, BJP candidate from Ward 6, died by suicide on Monday at around 5:30 am. Police said the deceased's body was taken for a post-mortem examination.

"Today, around 5:30 am, Mahadevappa, a 46-year-old BJP candidate from Ward 6 in Maktal Municipality, died by suicide. We have registered a case and are investigating the matter. The deceased's body has been shifted for post-mortem examination," ANI quoted the police as saying.

Authorities have filed a case regarding the suicide, and further investigation is ongoing.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, on Tuesday, claimed that the death of BJP's sixth ward municipal councillor candidate, Mahadevappa, was not a suicide but“a killing orchestrated by the Congress”, the report noted.

Telangana Municipal Elections 2026 LIVE Updates:10:08 am: Heavy voter turnout continues under stringent security measures | Video

9:58 am: State BJP chief alleges police bias, questions fairness of polls

State BJP President N. Ramchander Rao on Tuesday alleged police bias in connection with the death of party candidate Mahadevappa from Maktal Municipality.

The state BJP chief also questioned whether polling would be conducted in a free and fair manner ahead of the local elections, claiming that the "Congress party misused its machinery".

9:49 am: Vivek Venkataswamy, Minister for Labour, casts vote in Mancherial | Watch

9:38 am: Visuals from polling booths in Moinabad

9:28 am: Telangana CM to vote in Kodangal

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy will cast his vote in Kodangal, Vikarabad district, on February 11 during the municipal elections. As the MLA from Kodangal, Reddy is scheduled to vote at 11:30 am at the Zilla Parishad High School in the town and will return to Hyderabad afterward, according to a press release, reported PTI.

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