"municipal-elections"

Despite alleged attempts by Congress leaders to disrupt polling and encourage fake voting, municipal elections in erstwhile Medak district witnessed a strong voter turnout, with Jinnaram recording the highest polling at 90.98 per cent, officials said

BRS general secretary RS Praveen Kumar criticised Telangana police for failing to act against former Congress MLA T Jagga Reddy over alleged misconduct with police personnel during polling, demanding his immediate arrest and action under relevant legal provisions

Congress MLA Mynampally Rohit confronted Medak DSP Prasanna Kumar and other police officials after suspected fake voters were escorted outside a polling station on Wednesday. Rohit questioned the police action during his visit to review polling.

The BJP State president N Ramchander Rao accused the ruling Congress party of intimidating voters and candidates during the municipal elections, drawing parallels with the Emergency era.

Tension gripped Paloncha in Kothagudem after a ballot box from polling station number 151 was found at the local police station following polling. News of the incident drew cadres of BRS, CPI and other parties, along with senior leaders, who demanded an explanation from the police.

The Telangana municipal elections witnessed clashes, bogus voting attempts, and allegations of police bias, yet the State Election Commission maintained that polling was largely peaceful. The final turnout stood at 73.01 per cent.

The municipal elections in Khammam and Kothagudem districts witnessed a strong voter turnout, with over 82 percent polling in Khammam and 73 percent in Kothagudem by 5 pm. Voting, initially slow, gained momentum by afternoon across municipalities such as Edulapuram, Sathupalli, Madhira, Kallur and Wyra.

As polling for urban local bodies concluded in Hyderabad, BRS leaders KT Rama Rao and T Harish Rao accused the ruling Congress of widespread misuse of power and violations of the Model Code of Conduct. The BRS expressed confidence that voter discontent would be reflected in the results.

The BRS lodged multiple complaints with the State Election Commission, accusing Congress leaders of large-scale violations of the Model Code of Conduct during municipal polling in Telangana. Allegations include illegal voter transportation, booth interference, intimidation, misuse of official machinery, and bribery.

Mild tension prevailed in Karimnagar after Sheshank Reddy, son of a Congress municipal candidate, was allegedly attacked by BJP activists. Congress leaders blamed a BJP aspirant, alleging intimidation ahead of the civic polls. Police have registered a case and begun investigation

Elaborate arrangements have been made for municipal elections across Karimnagar, Ramagundam, Jagtial and Rajanna-Sircilla districts. Polling will be held in 13 municipalities and two municipal corporations, with over 7 lakh voters eligible to cast their ballots.

The BRS is aiming to retain control of Adilabad, Nirmal, and Kagaznagar municipalities, which it won in both 2014 and 2019. The party, originally formed through the Statehood movement, has maintained a stronghold in these civic bodies, securing chairperson posts in successive elections.

SC, ST Welfare Minister Adluri Laxman Kumar dismissed allegations of violating the model code of conduct, insisting he had not misused political power. He said his visit to Velgatur and Dharmaram was outside municipal limits where the code was not in force.

Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy has alleged continued phone tapping by the Opposition after an audio clip of his teleconference seeking votes for Congress candidates surfaced. He defended the call, saying employees had the right to vote and claimed the government would probe the issue

Congress leader T Jagga Reddy has been accused of multiple model code of conduct violations during the Sangareddy and Sadasivapet municipal elections. He was reportedly caught distributing cash at a tea stall, leading to a case being registered by the police.

BRS district president Tata Madhusudhan accused Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy of reviewing ward-wise votes ahead of municipal polls and misusing officials. He announced plans to complain to the Election Commission and appealed to voters to back the BRS.

Telangana DGP B Shivadhar Reddy said all security arrangements are in place for the urban municipal elections on Wednesday. Police deployment has been strengthened, webcasting ensured at sensitive booths, and check posts set up to prevent violations.

Allegations of money and muscle power against the ruling Congress party have surfaced during municipal elections across Telangana. Opposition parties claim voter influence, intimidation of candidates and selective police action, while Congress leaders have denied the charges amid rising political tension.

As the municipal election campaign nears its end in Bhupalpally, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy escalated his criticism of BRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao and the BJP. He alleged that Union Minister G Kishan Reddy was shielding BRS leaders in various cases, while highlighting Congress’s financial support to local bodies.

Kamalapuram Gitanjali, a BRS candidate in Cheriyal municipality, alleged that Congress leaders pressured officials to suspend her husband, Ramesh, a police constable, on charges of campaigning for her. She claimed her opponent, Mustyala Teja, attempted to force her withdrawal from the polls.