A tense situation unfolded in Neelibanda thanda, Jangaon, after the BRS-backed candidate was initially declared Sarpanch with a majority of 54 votes. Later, following a recount ordered by the Returning Officer amid a brief power disruption, the Congress-supported candidate was announced as the winner by a margin of five votes.
The final phase of gram panchayat elections in the erstwhile Karimnagar district concluded peacefully on Wednesday, with voters braving cold weather to cast their ballots. Karimnagar district registered the highest turnout at 86.42 per cent, followed closely by Peddapalli at 85.66 per cent.
Mild tension gripped Polampalli village in Thimmapur mandal during the counting of votes for the sarpanch election. Congress candidates Gunti Lavanya and Budige Gnaneshwari contested, with Lavanya winning by a margin of three votes. A recount requested by Gnaneshwari added two more votes to Lavanya’s tally, prompting officials to withhold the results citing discrepancies.
In a nail-biting contest during the second phase of gram panchayat elections, Vadlakonda Venkatesh won the sarpanch post in Ambalpur village of Shankarapatnam mandal, Karimnagar district, by a margin of just one vote.
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.
Gram panchayat elections in Sangareddy and Medak districts have sparked family disputes, with relatives contesting against each other for Sarpanch and ward posts. In Jhansi Lingapur, a son is challenging his father, while in Rajaram Thanda, a niece is contesting against her uncle.
A police Sub-Inspector from Kodad has resigned from service to contest the upcoming gram panchayat elections as sarpanch of his native Gudibanda village in Suryapet district. He emphasised his commitment to village development and prioritising service to his birthplace.
Atchannaidu and others had attacked the YSR Congress Party supported Appanna when the latter filed his nomination for the Sarpanch post in the Nimmada village to which all of them belonged.
