Overview
The 2018 and 2023 Telangana Legislative Assembly elections represent the second and third electoral cycles since the state's formation in 2014. Together they document a major political realignment: the dominant position held by TRS/BRS was dismantled in a single cycle, with Congress returning to power for the first time in the state.
This report presents a structured comparison of the two elections using official ECI data.
−49
BRS Seat Loss (88 → 39)
2018 vs 2023
Source: ECI 2023
+6.92pp
BJP Vote Share Rise
6.98% → 13.9%
Source: ECI 2023
+16.2%
Voter Registration Growth
28.1M → 32.6M
Source: ECI rolls
−1.77pp
Turnout Change
73.74% → 71.97%
Source: ECI 2023
Election Dates and Schedule
| Event | 2018 | 2023 |
|---|
| Date of poll | 7 December 2018 | 30 November 2023 |
| Date of counting | 11 December 2018 | 3 December 2023 |
| Trigger | Early election called by KCR | Scheduled general election |
In 2018, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) dissolved the assembly nine months before its scheduled end and called an early election — a gamble that resulted in TRS's largest-ever majority. In 2023, the election was held on schedule at the end of the assembly's five-year term.
Seat Results: Head-to-Head
| Party | 2018 Seats | 2023 Seats | Change |
|---|
| TRS (2018) / BRS (2023) | 88 | 39 | −49 |
| INC (standalone) | 19 | 64 | +45 |
| CPI (INC+ ally 2023) | — | 1 | — |
| INC+ Alliance Total | 21* | 65 | +44 |
| BJP | 1 | 8 | +7 |
| AIMIM | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| Others / Independents | 2 | — | — |
| Total | 119 | 119 | — |
* 2018 INC alliance (Praja Kutami) total: INC 19, TDP 2, Independents/others — seat total 21
Sources: ECI 2018 and ECI 2023 official results
Vote Share: 2018 vs 2023
| Party | 2018 Vote Share | 2023 Vote Share | Change |
|---|
| TRS / BRS | 46.87% | — | — |
| INC | 28.43% | — | — |
| BJP | 6.98% | 13.9% | +6.92 pp |
| TDP | 3.51% | — | — |
| AIMIM | 2.71% | — | — |
Note: INC and BRS 2023 vote shares are not individually published in summary form in the ECI statistical release reviewed for this report. BJP's 13.9% (2023) vs 6.98% (2018) is directly stated in ECI published summary data. Full party vote share for 2023 requires the complete ECI statistical report.
Registered Voters and Turnout
| Metric | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|
| Registered voters | 28,075,912 | 32,618,257 | +4,542,345 (+16.2%) |
| Votes cast | 20,701,783 | 23,474,306 | +2,772,523 (+13.4%) |
| Voter turnout | 73.74% | 71.97% | −1.77 pp |
Sources: ECI Electoral Rolls and Form 17C totals, 2018 and 2023
The registered voter base grew by 4.54 million voters (+16.2%) between 2018 and 2023. In absolute terms, votes cast also increased by 2.77 million. However, turnout as a percentage of registered voters fell by 1.77 percentage points — indicating that voter registration grew faster than actual participation.
Voter Registration Gender Breakdown (2023)
| Category | 2023 Registered |
|---|
| Male | 15,871,493 |
| Female | 15,843,339 |
| Transgender | 2,557 |
| Total | 32,618,257 |
Source: ECI Summary Electoral Roll, Telangana 2023
Male and female registered voter counts are nearly equal in 2023, with female voters at 15,843,339 — approximately 28,154 fewer than male (15,871,493). The 2,557 transgender voters registered represents a notable increase in gender-inclusive registration practices since the state's formation.
KCR's Seat Performance
| Election | Constituency | Result | Opponent | Margin |
|---|
| 2018 | Gajwel (seat 42) | Won | INC — Vanteru Pratap Reddy | 58,290 |
| 2023 | Gajwel (seat 42) | Won | — | — |
| 2023 | Kamareddy (seat 16) | Lost | INC — Revanth Reddy | — |
In 2023, KCR contested from two seats simultaneously: Kamareddy and Gajwel. He won Gajwel but lost Kamareddy to Congress leader Revanth Reddy, who subsequently became Chief Minister. Dual candidacy is permitted under Indian electoral law; a candidate who wins both seats must vacate one.
Source: ECI 2023 results and reported outcomes
AIMIM: Consistent Retention
| Election | AIMIM Seats Won | Region |
|---|
| 2018 | 7 | Greater Hyderabad |
| 2023 | 7 | Greater Hyderabad |
AIMIM held exactly 7 seats in both cycles, all in the Greater Hyderabad region. This consistency contrasts with the substantial seat-count volatility of TRS/BRS, INC, and BJP. See the Hyderabad Old City Assembly Profiles 2023 report for constituency-level detail on margin shifts within these 7 seats.
Regional Seat Distribution (2023)
Per ECI published regional breakdown for 2023:
| Region | INC | BRS | BJP | AIMIM |
|---|
| Greater Hyderabad | 1 | 16 | 1 | 7 |
| North Telangana | 33 | 10 | 7 | — |
| South Telangana | 30 | 13 | 0 | — |
Source: ECI 2023 results regional summary
INC's majority was built on strong performance in both North and South Telangana, winning 63 of the 94 non-Hyderabad seats. BRS retained a significant Hyderabad share but was largely shut out of rural and semi-urban areas.
Notes on Data
- TRS was renamed BRS in October 2022. Party name used in this report follows the name at time of each election.
- The Praja Kutami alliance in 2018 included INC, TDP, CPI, and TJS. INC won 19 of the 21 Praja Kutami seats. Direct comparison of INC's standalone 2018 and 2023 performance understates the party's 2018 alliance performance.
- Gajwel 2023 margin is not included here because the detailed Form 20 data for that constituency was not confirmed in the sources reviewed for this report.
- BJP 2023 vote share of 13.9% is as stated in ECI published summary data. BJP's 2018 vote share was 6.98% per the official statistical report — a near-doubling in vote share over one cycle.