HYDERABAD: The outcome of the first phase of the Telangana panchayat elections has triggered an intense debate in state political circles, with the ruling Congress and the Opposition BRS dissecting their performances at the village level.
The State Election Commission (SEC) conducted polls for 4,230 gram panchayats, and the results indicate a clear edge for the Congress. Candidates backed by the ruling party won 2,567 panchayats, accounting for 60.69% of villages. BRS-backed candidates secured 1,162 villages (27.47%), marking a notable resurgence for the party that lost power in the state in 2023 and failed to win even a single Lok Sabha seat the following year.
The BJP-supported candidates won 194 panchayats, while CPI and CPM-backed candidates secured 23 and 24 villages respectively. Independent candidates triumphed in 260 gram panchayats.
The BRS’ relatively strong showing has sparked internal discussions within the Congress. Party leaders are reportedly concerned about how BRS-backed candidates managed to win 1,162 villages, especially in constituencies represented by Congress MLAs.
Questions are being raised about gaps in grassroots engagement and whether local legislators failed to consolidate support in their segments. Analysts point out that BRS-backed candidates performed well in several districts, even winning nearly half the sarpanch positions in a few pockets. This has become a key discussion point within the ruling party as it assesses organisational shortcomings during the first phase.
Buoyed by its performance, the BRS is now fully focused on the upcoming second and third phases of the panchayat elections. Party heavyweights — including former minister T Harish Rao — are expected to oversee mobilisation in their respective constituencies, where polling is yet to take place.
BJP’s noteworthy gains
The BJP registered noteworthy gains in Kamareddy and Nirmal districts, securing 23 of 167 panchayats in Kamareddy and 18 of 135 in Nirmal. The party also crossed double digits in several districts — winning 13 of 92 in Karimnagar, 10 of 106 in Gadwal, 16 of 184 in Nizamabad, 16 of 122 in Jagtial, and 11 of 163 in Siddipet.
BRS-backed candidates put up a strong fight across several districts, winning: 42 of 159 in Bhadradri, 40 of 122 in Jagtial, 44 of 167 in Kamareddy, 38 of 192 in Khammam, 36 of 113 in Asifabad, 50 of 155 in Mahbubabad, 60 of 139 in Mahbubnagar, 43 of 160 in Medak, 48 of 151 in Nagarkurnool, 82 of 318 in Nalgonda, 67 of 174 in Rangareddy, 46 of 136 in Sangareddy, 71 of 163 in Siddipet, 54 of 159 in Suryapet,
71 of 269 in Vikarabad, 56 of 153 in Bhongir. This performance helped the party remain a formidable challenger to the Congress across rural Telangana.
The Congress maintained district-wise upper hand despite the competition, dominating most districts, crossing the 100-mark in several. As many as 137 of 192 candidates backed by the ruling party have won in Khammam, 111 of 160 in Medak, 211 of 318 in Nalgonda, 134 of 184 in Nizamabad, 179 of 262 in Vikarabad.
The results have set the tone for a high-stakes battle in the next phases, with all major parties recalibrating their strategies to consolidate gains and plug organisational gaps.