Congress govt to hold all local body elections in Karnataka in 2026: Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said the ruling Congress government has taken a pledge to hold all local body elections in the state in 2026.

He also asserted that the government would work towards ensuring peace and happiness for the people and strive to bring about positive change in their lives in the new year.

"In 2026, the Congress party has taken a pledge to hold all local body polls in the state," Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress president, told reporters here.

Recently, he had said that the state government would have to conduct Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat elections in the next two to three months, and had instructed party leaders to prepare for them.

Shivakumar also announced that application forms for aspirants seeking party tickets for elections to five city corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) have been made available.

Claiming that the Congress government provided good governance in Karnataka in 2025, Shivakumar said that major achievements, including the Global Investors Meet, the Bengaluru Tech Summit, fulfilment of electoral promises, and key decisions in the irrigation sector such as the Upper Krishna Project, Tungabhadra and the Mekedatu project related to the Cauvery river, would be recorded in history.

"I am filled with confidence that our government has fulfilled the promises made to the people of the state. We will certainly implement the programmes we have planned," he said.

Shivakumar, who is also the minister in charge of Bengaluru development, claimed that such "historic programmes and projects had likely never been implemented in the city in his 36 years as a legislator."

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Bengaluru for the inauguration of a Metro project, had complimented the city and the ongoing works.

"Despite the Centre not providing funds for our projects, we are giving a new shape to Bengaluru that will bring respect to India. The people have also cooperated," he said.

Commending Home Minister G Parameshwara and police officials for effectively managing Christmas and New Year celebrations, Shivakumar said that as the minister in charge of Bengaluru, he had personally monitored the situation.

"Officials have done a good job by ensuring there were no untoward incidents," he added.