Resounding Victory for Congress in Telangana Gram Panchayat Elections

In the second phase of Telangana's gram panchayat elections, over 85% voter turnout was reported, reflecting strong public support for Congress. The peaceful elections highlighted the effectiveness of Congress's governance and welfare policies, resulting in significant victories for Congress-backed candidates in sarpanch positions.

Over 85 percent of eligible voters in Telangana exercised their franchise in the second phase of the gram panchayat elections, the State Election Commission confirmed on Sunday.

The elections concluded without incidents, with 46,70,972 of the 54,40,339 eligible voters casting ballots, resulting in an impressive 85.86 percent turnout. According to Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Mahesh M Bhagwat, polling was conducted peacefully. Voting began at 7 am and continued until 1 pm for 3,911 gram panchayat posts and 29,917 ward member seats.

Congress-backed candidates claimed a significant number of sarpanch positions, a victory interpreted as a vote of confidence in the state government's governance, according to Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president B Mahesh Kumar Goud. He attributed the success to strategic campaign efforts at the village level, stating that the elections are a testament to the government's commitment to welfare, social justice, and development.

The gram panchayat elections, prefaced by a recent bypoll win in the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency, serve as a popularity test for the Congress, BRS, and BJP. However, they are officially non-party affairs. Due to legal issues surrounding a proposed 42 percent reservation for Backward Classes, the state decided to hold elections solely for gram panchayats, postponing other local body polls.

(With inputs from agencies.)