"local-body-polls"

Facing mounting rural anger over a urea shortage and faltering welfare schemes, the Congress government in Telangana is delaying local body elections beyond the High Court’s deadline. In a strategic pivot, it plans to boost BC reservations to 42%, despite legal hurdles, and showcase marquee infrastructure projects to regain public support.

State government dragging its feet on finalising BC reservations despite a looming September 30 deadline set by the High Court

BJP State president N Ramchander Rao criticised the Congress-led Telangana government for failing to fulfil its pre-election promises, leading to public discontent. Addressing party leaders in Karimnagar, Rao alleged that the Congress sought to delay local body elections out of fear of defeat.

Preparations are in full swing for elections to 2,181 rural civic bodies across Adilabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, and Asifabad districts, following a 1.5-year delay. The Congress, BRS, and BJP are in the fray to secure dominance in local governance.

As the Telangana High Court’s September 30 deadline approaches and the Presidential assent to BC reservation bills remains pending, the State government plans to consult top legal and constitutional experts, including Justice Sudarshan Reddy, on implementing 42 percent BC quota in local body elections.

BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said a job calendar for issuing notifications for 17,000 jobs was ready. This apart, the State government was planning to release notifications for another 22,000 jobs and ensure a total of one lakh jobs were provided before March.

How can a Minister make such a statement to the media without Cabinet discussion? asks TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud

In a letter to the State Election Commission, TG BIE Secretary Krishna Aditya makes an appeal to exempt staff from local bodies' election duties as they are involved in exam work

Implementation of 42 per cent reservations for BCs will solely depend on the discretion of political parties, as it requires constitutional amendment which is a prerogative of BJP-led Central government

Zaheerabad MP Suresh Shetkar and Narayankhed MLA Patlolla Sanjeeva Reddy are busy lobbying to get nominated posts and election opportunities for their respective followers

The Congress leadership in Telangana is worried with internal differences among leaders and dissidence among cadre hitting the party hard in different assembly constituencies

HC panel was dealing with a batch of writ petitions against the government’s action in reducing the reservation percentages for OBCs in Local Body Elections from 34% to 22%

"A clash erupted between workers of TDP and YSRCP in Mettavalasa village of Srikakulam allegedly over social media post related to recent local body polls," said Sub Inspector of Srikakulam Police, M Ahmad.

Left front was leading in 514 grama panchayats, five corporations and 11 district panchayats, prompting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to attribute the good show to the people of the state

Pinarayi Vijayan had on Saturday said COVID-19 vaccine will be made available free of cost to all people in Kerala.

Polling is taking place in Malappurram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargode districts, while other 10 districts had polls on December 8 and 10.

Kerala recorded 76.38 per cent voter turnout in the 2nd phase of local body elections held in five districts, last week, according to the state election commission.

Cutting across villages and cities, voters could be seen wearing masks and maintaining social distance adhering to COVID-19 protocols.