Local bodies in Bhadrachalam, Pinapaka prepare for first elections since Telangana formation

Local body elections are set after 11 years in Bhadrachalam and Pinapaka constituencies. MPPs and gram panchayats, earlier exempted due to municipal upgrade plans and court cases, are now going to polls. Aspirants are preparing actively for these long-awaited elections.

Kothagudem: As the State prepares for local body elections, a few local bodies in Bhadrachalam and Pinapaka Assembly constituencies in the district will be going to polls for the first time after the formation of a separate Telangana.

Elections to Bhadrachalam and Burgampad Mandal Praja Parishads (MPPs) and the Bhadrachalam and Sarapaka gram panchayats assumed importance as they would be going to elections after a gap of 11 years. The Bhadrachalam MPP, established on January 1, 1987, witnessed elections in 2014 prior to the reorganisation of Andhra Pradesh. Bhadrachalam MPP had 13 MPTC seats in 2014, and it has now been increased to 14, with the MPP president post reserved for ST (woman). Elections were not held for the local body for various reasons, such as the merger of several villages in the mandal into AP and issues related to the government’s decision to upgrade it into a municipality.

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The same was the case with the Bhadrachalam major gram panchayat (GP), which witnessed elections in 2013 and was exempted from elections as the locals went to court challenging the government’s decision to make it a municipality. It was divided into three smaller GPs and was later made a single GP in view of local opposition. The sarpanch post is reserved for ST (general).

Similarly, elections to Burgampad MPP, with 18 MPTC seats, were held in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, and the elected body took oath after one year, in July 2015. The elected members went to court as two MPTC seats were merged into AP, and the court favoured the merger. Though the local body polls were held in 2019, elections were not conducted for the local body as the tenure of the members was not completed by that time. It was managed by a special officer until now.

Likewise, elections to Sarapaka major gram panchayat in Burgampad mandal were not held after 2014. The government exempted it from elections in 2019 as it planned to upgrade it into a municipality. As Adivasis opposed the decision, it was decided to continue it as a GP. The aspirants have been making all-out efforts to win the elections being held after a long gap.