Sharp fall in unanimous sarpanch elects in panchayat polls signals anger against Congress

Gram panchayat elections in the erstwhile Medak district revealed strong rural anger against the Congress government, reflected in high voter turnout and a sharp decline in unanimously elected panchayats, as villagers chose contested polls to register protest.

Sangareddy: The gram panchayat elections in the erstwhile Medak district reflected strong public anger against the Congress government, with voters in a majority of villages choosing to vote against Congress supported candidates.

The discontent was evident in the sharp decline in unanimously elected gram panchayats, as several villages rejected consensus polls to register their protest through voting. Compared to the previous panchayat elections, the number of unanimous elections fell significantly across the district.

---

In Sangareddy, the number of unanimously elected gram panchayats dropped to 21 from 96 in the last elections, despite a slight increase in the total number of panchayats. Medak recorded a similar trend, with unanimous panchayats declining to 21 from 84. Siddipet performed relatively better but still saw a fall from 48 in 2018 to 26 in 2025.

Political observers said the trend indicated strong rural opposition to the government, with villagers deliberately opting for contested elections rather than unanimous selections. The number of unanimously elected ward members also declined considerably.

Polling percentages ranging between 85 and 90 per cent across three phases were also viewed by political experts as a sign of anti incumbency.

A resident of a village in Zaheerabad constituency said Congress leaders attempted to push for unanimous elections but faced strong resistance. He added that the Congress backed candidate and panel were eventually defeated at the polls.