"gram-panchayat-elections"

In a rare political development in Jangaon district, a young woman was elected sarpanch while her father emerged as deputy sarpanch in Venkiryal gram panchayat during the second phase of gram panchayat elections, drawing attention across political circles

BRS-supported candidates dominated the second phase of gram panchayat elections in Siddipet district, winning 125 of 182 panchayats and nearly 69 per cent of sarpanch posts, leaving Congress and BJP far behind.

In Dharur village of Jagtial urban mandal, three members of the same family were elected as ward members in the second phase of gram panchayat elections. The family thanked voters for their support and pledged to work towards resolving civic issues and improving local amenities.

In a tragic twist during gram panchayat elections in Sangareddy district, Chalki Raju, a sarpanch candidate from Peepadpally in Raikode mandal, was found dead after allegedly committing suicide fearing defeat. Despite his death, Raju secured victory by a margin of eight votes in the second phase of polling.

The second phase of gram panchayat elections in Telangana saw several Congress Ministers and MLAs facing setbacks in their native villages, with BRS-backed candidates registering victories. Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s influence waned in Khammam as Army Ravi won the sarpanch post, while Devarkadra MLA G. Madhusudhan Reddy and Dornakal MLA Ramchander Naik also saw defeats in their villages.

The second phase of gram panchayat elections in Khammam and Kothagudem districts witnessed high voter turnout on Sunday. Khammam recorded 91.21 percent polling across six mandals, while Kothagudem registered 82.65 percent across seven mandals. District Collectors Anudeep Durishetty and Jitesh V. Patil confirmed smooth polling.

In a dramatic turn during gram panchayat elections in Medak, the husband of sarpanch candidate Cheriyala Sabitha went missing hours before polling in Gollapally village, Chegunta mandal. Police launched a search using drones and sniffer dogs, eventually tracing Janardhan Reddy in a nearby forest 12 hours later.

The second phase of gram panchayat elections in the erstwhile Karimnagar district concluded peacefully with high voter turnout across most mandals. Despite chilly weather, rural voters queued up from early morning to cast their votes, and officials confirmed that polling was conducted smoothly without any untoward incidents.

In a rare electoral contest, Mangegalla Ramakrishnaiah defeated his younger son Venkatesh in the gram panchayat elections at Jhansilingapur village, Ramayampet mandal, Medak district. The unusual father-son contest became a highlight of this year’s gram panchayat elections in the district.

A man was killed and his wife seriously injured in a road accident on NH 161 at Bachepally in Kalher mandal, Sangareddy district, on Saturday night. The couple were travelling from Hyderabad to cast their votes in the gram panchayat elections.

Elaborate arrangements have been made for the second phase of gram panchayat elections across the erstwhile Karimnagar district. Polling is scheduled from 7 am to 1 pm on Sunday, with staff and materials dispatched on Saturday evening.

Police in Adilabad arrested defeated panchayat candidate Kamble Sathish for allegedly abusing a trader and causing communal tensions in Indervelli mandal headquarters. A case was registered based on Deepak’s complaint, and an investigation was launched.

Tension prevailed in Pashapur village of Vikarabad district after clashes broke out between Congress and BRS cadres following gram panchayat election results. BRS-supported candidate Kavitha Bharath Kumar and her panel had emerged victorious, prompting alleged attacks by Congress cadres on Friday night.

Four members of a family from Kamareddy district were killed in a road accident on NH 161 at Pedda Shankarampet in Medak on Saturday night. The victims, who had been residing in Hyderabad, were travelling to their native village to cast their votes in the gram panchayat elections on Sunday.

Incidents of defeated gram panchayat candidates demanding money back from voters were reported in Kothagudem and Mahabubabad districts. Independent candidate Bandaru Nageshwara Rao in Bhadrachalam and Congress candidate Podium Mangapathi in Gollagudem allegedly abused voters after losing the polls.

Arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of panchayat elections across erstwhile Adilabad district under the second phase. Officials confirmed that 477 panchayats would witness polling, including 139 villages in eight mandals. Campaigning concluded on Friday ahead of Sunday’s polls.

Former Minister and senior BRS leader T Harish Rao congratulated newly elected sarpanches and ward members of 26 gram panchayats in Medak, asserting that voters had resisted Congress attempts to influence the elections through money and authority. He alleged that Congress leaders threatened candidates but the electorate stood firm with BRS-supported nominees.

Senior BRS leader G Jagadish Reddy alleged widespread irregularities and misuse of power in the ongoing gram panchayat elections. He accused officials, police and Congress workers of intimidation and manipulation, while asserting strong grassroots support for the BRS

Bharat Rashtra Samithi working president KT Rama Rao congratulated party-backed sarpanches elected in the first phase of gram panchayat polls. He said the results reflected strong public support for the BRS despite alleged irregularities by the ruling Congress.

Siddipet Collector K Hymavathi suspended 182 government employees who skipped duties during the first phase of gram panchayat elections on December 11. The move serves as a warning to staff for the second and third phases on December 14 and 17