Candidates backed by the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) continued their sway in the second phase of gram panchayat election held on Friday.
Candidates affiliated to the TRS were declared elected in 2,583 of 3,342 gram panchayats till late night as counting for major panchayats was still underway. Congress backed candidates won in 823 vilages and independents won in 555 gram panchayats.
Election was notified for sarpanch and ward member posts of 4,135 gram panchayats in the second phase. Of them, 788 sarpanches, a majority supported by the ruling party, were elected unanimously. Nominations were not filed for sarpanch posts in seven gram panchayats, resulting in polls to 3,342 rural local bodies with 10,668 candidates in the fray. Polling for the second phase was held in 29,964 polling stations, with webcasting arrangements made in 673 polling stations. The second phase saw a huge turnout of 37.76 lakh of the total 42.79 lakh voters, taking the polling percentage to 88.26.
Massive turnout
More than 90% polling was reported in 10 districts, including Yadadri-Bhongir, Siddipet, Suryapet, Medak, Khammam, Nalgonda and Mahabubabad. Jagtial, with 80.23%, and Medchal-Malkajgiri, with 80.74%, registered the lowest percentage.
Polling went off peacefully, barring minor skirmishes between supporters of the ruling and opposition parties at some places, including Jangaon. In all, 1.13 lakh polling stations had been set up for the three-phase election and the State Election Commission had drafted 1.48 lakh employees and 26,340 police personnel for the purpose.
Other parties, including the TDP, the BJP and the Left, scraped through in a handful of gram panchayats, but none of them is anywhere close to the three-digit mark.
The third phase polling, slated for January 30, is to elect 4,115 sarpanches and 36,718 ward members.
