The Indian National Congress has delivered a commanding performance in the concluding phase of the Telangana gram panchayat elections, solidifying its dominance at the grassroots level. Candidates backed by the party secured a formidable tally of over 2,200 sarpanch positions, pushing the total close to the 2,300 mark in this final round alone.
A Three-Phase Verdict and the Final Tally
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) trailed behind, positioned to cross the 1,200-seat mark in this last phase, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was nearing 500 sarpanch seats. The elections for sarpanches and ward members concluded on Wednesday, paving the way for elected bodies to assume office in more than 12,700 gram panchayats starting December 22.
This political development carries significant financial implications for rural Telangana. The formation of these elected local bodies is expected to unlock approximately Rs 3,000 crore in Central Finance Commission grants earmarked for village development. These crucial funds had been withheld over the past two financial years due to the absence of duly elected panchayats.
Political Significance and Electoral Momentum
The rural local body elections are a critical barometer of political support, as they help shape the grassroots cadre for major parties ahead of a vital election cycle. The newly elected representatives will serve a five-year term, a period that will see Telangana head to the assembly polls in 2028 and the Lok Sabha elections in 2029. Voter turnout was robust, with more than 80% of the state's 1.66 crore rural voters casting their ballots across the three phases.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy took a hands-on approach, closely monitoring the Congress campaign. He addressed public meetings across various districts, urging voters to support candidates who could collaborate effectively with local MLAs, MPs, ministers, and the state government to accelerate development and welfare delivery in villages.
Cumulative Results and Party Reactions
In the cumulative tally across all three phases, Congress-supported candidates have secured nearly 7,000 sarpanch posts. The BRS follows with about 3,600 seats, and the BJP is expected to touch the 700 mark. The Congress claimed that, with the support of its alliance partners including Left parties, it had won close to 70% of the sarpanch seats.
However, the BRS contested the Congress's claims, asserting that the gap between the two parties was much narrower. For the BRS, this performance marks a noteworthy show of resilience, especially after failing to win a single Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 general elections. The BJP, too, registered a modest rise in its rural footprint.
Telangana Congress president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud stated that the results reflected the party's continued electoral momentum. "Our winning streak from the 2023 assembly polls, the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and subsequent bypolls has continued in the panchayat polls," he said. He attributed the victory to rural voters endorsing the Congress government's welfare, development, and social justice agenda, with overwhelming support from minorities, Dalits, tribals, women, farmers, and youth.
Goud added that the mandate increased the government's responsibility, committing to strengthening the Panchayati Raj system and transforming every village into a centre of development. "After this victory, our next target is to sweep the MPTC, ZPTC, municipal, and GHMC elections," he declared.
In a related administrative note, the state government had initially set December 20 as the date for the elected bodies to assume office. However, following representations from newly elected members who cited Amavasya on December 20 as inauspicious, the date was deferred by two days to December 22.
