Amaravati, Oct 2026 : More than 25,800 nominations have been filed for elections to 100 urban local bodies in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on October 28, according to the State Election Commission (SEC). A total of 25,809 candidates have submitted nomination papers for mayoral, municipal chairperson and ward member posts, with scrutiny scheduled for Monday.
The deadline for filing nominations ended on Sunday, while candidates can withdraw their papers until October 21. The elections cover 13 municipal corporations and 87 municipalities and nagar panchayats.
The ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which leads the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the state, has fielded candidates across the different categories. Its allies, Jana Sena Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), are also contesting, alongside the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), Congress and Independents.
Category-wise nomination details
The nominations filed for the different urban local body posts are as follows:
| Election category | Total nominations | TDP | Jana Sena | BJP | YSRCP | Congress | Independents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayors of 13 municipal corporations | 320 | 46 | 9 | 6 | 49 | 36 | 112 |
| Chairpersons of 87 municipalities and nagar panchayats | 1,038 | 283 | 91 | 21 | 319 | 81 | Not specified |
| Ward members of municipal corporations (3,020 seats) | 8,198 | 2,956 | 1,019 | 350 | 2,295 | 215 | Not specified |
| Ward members of municipalities and nagar panchayats (922 seats) | 16,253 | 6,504 | 1,305 | 536 | 5,880 | 201 | Not specified |
Note: The figures for Independents in the mayoral category are as reported by the SEC in the supplied information. Independent nomination figures for the other categories were not specified.
Party-wise contest for mayoral posts
For the 13 municipal corporation mayoral positions, the SEC received 320 nominations. The YSRCP submitted 49 nominations, followed by the TDP with 46 and the Congress with 36. Jana Sena filed nine nominations, while the BJP submitted six. A total of 112 Independents also entered the contest.
For chairperson posts in 87 municipalities and nagar panchayats, the YSRCP fielded 319 candidates, compared with 283 from the TDP. Jana Sena submitted 91 nominations, the Congress 81 and the BJP 21.
The ward member elections account for the bulk of the nominations. For 3,020 municipal corporation ward member seats, 8,198 nominations were received. The TDP fielded 2,956 candidates, the YSRCP 2,295, Jana Sena 1,019, the BJP 350 and the Congress 215.
In municipalities and nagar panchayats, 16,253 nominations were filed for 922 ward member seats. The TDP submitted 6,504 nominations, followed by the YSRCP with 5,880. Jana Sena fielded 1,305 candidates, the BJP 536 and the Congress 201.
TDP and YSRCP trade accusations
The nomination figures have also triggered a political exchange between the ruling TDP and the opposition YSRCP.
TDP working president and state minister Nara Lokesh responded on Monday to allegations by YSRCP president and former chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy that the ruling party, with the support of the SEC and police, had prevented YSRCP candidates from filing nominations.
Lokesh said more than 22,800 nominations had been filed across Andhra Pradesh, arguing that the participation demonstrated the electoral process remained active.
“Candidates from every party, every community and every corner of the state have stepped forward. Democracy in Andhra Pradesh is alive and thriving,” he wrote on X.
He added that elections should be decided by voters rather than political statements, saying candidates should face the electorate.
Jagan Mohan Reddy had met Governor S. Abdul Nazeer on Sunday, seeking intervention to “save democracy” in the state over the alleged obstruction of opposition candidates.
With scrutiny of nominations underway and withdrawals permitted until October 21, the final list of candidates will become clearer ahead of polling on October 28.
