BRS holds ground in second phase of Khammam gram panchayat polls

Despite the ruling Congress having an edge, the BRS recorded significant wins in the second phase of gram panchayat elections in erstwhile Khammam district. The polls saw close contests, unanimous elections and victories decided by narrow margins and draw of lots

Khammam: Though the ruling Congress had an edge, the BRS, despite being in the opposition, maintained its winning streak in the second phase of gram panchayat elections in the erstwhile Khammam district.

Of the 183 gram panchayats across six mandals in Khammam, 23 sarpanch seats were elected unanimously and polling was conducted for 160 seats. Including the unanimously elected posts, Congress supporters won 113 sarpanch seats, while the BRS secured 42. The CPI (M) won 13 seats, the CPI three, and others accounted for 11 sarpanch posts.

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Meanwhile, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy suffered a setback as three major gram panchayats, Nelakondapalli, Cheruvu Madaram and Rajeshwarapuram, in his Palair constituency were won by the BRS. A BRS worker, Banoth Ravi alias Army Ravi, who had earlier attempted suicide alleging harassment by followers of Minister Srinivas Reddy, was elected as sarpanch of Suddavagu Thanda in Tirumalayapalem mandal of Khammam district. After recovering from the suicide attempt, he contested the elections and emerged victorious.

In Chegomma gram panchayat in Kusumanchi mandal, BRS supporter Bathula Veeraswamy and Congress supporter B Venkanna secured 945 votes each. They refused to go for a draw of lots to decide the winner and expressed willingness to share the sarpanch post for an equal period. However, in the draw of lots, Veeraswamy got the opportunity to serve as sarpanch for the first two and a half years. BRS supporters Datla Satheesh and G Venkata Narayana were elected as sarpanches of Jujulraopet gram panchayat in Kusumanchi mandal and Tallacheruvu gram panchayat in Tirumalayapalem mandal respectively, both by a margin of one vote.

In Kothagudem, of the 156 gram panchayats across seven mandals notified for the second phase elections, polls were not conducted in two gram panchayats and 16 sarpanch seats were elected unanimously. Including the unanimously elected seats, Congress won 80 sarpanch posts in Kothagudem, the BRS 31, CPI 21, CPI (M) five and others 17. In Regulagudem gram panchayat, CPI supporter Kursam Ramulu won the sarpanch post in a draw of lots after he and his rival Chandrashekar of the Congress secured 540 votes each.