Continuing its winning streak after the Assembly elections, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) swept the first phase of Panchayat polls in the state. The first phase recorded 87.56% polling in which the TRS’ supported candidates bagged 2446 seats while the Congress supporters was restricted to 829 seats, TDP supporters won 59 seats while the CPI and CPM won 17 and 29 respectively. Meanwhile, independents won 671 seats.
Meanwhile, election in 769 panchayats was declared unanimous and the polling for the second and third phase is scheduled for January 25th and January 30th, respectively. Following the announcement of results, elected public representatives including sarpanches and warm members elected the deputy sarpanches.
Even as polling was underway, Telangana Election Watch raised an issue about how there was a compulsion for several candidates to give in into the ruling party candidate and give up their nomination, while electing the ruling party candidate unanimously.
“The post is being auctioned for a price. Several village-level committees are exerting pressure on other candidates for unanimity,†the organisation stated. The State Government’s announcement of providing Rs. 10 lakh for panchayats where a candidate will be chosen unanimously has been misused, Telangana Election Watch reported.
