The ruling Congress-backed candidates continued their winning streak, securing nearly 2,000 Sarpanch posts in the second phase of the Gram Panchayat elections in Telangana, followed by the main Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) supporters with nearly 1,000 posts and BJP-backed candidates with about 300 posts, while others won around 450 posts. The counting process was still under way at the time of reporting.
The results of the first phase reflected a similar trend. Congress-backed candidates recorded a strong performance, winning in nearly 2,000 villages across the State. BRS-supported candidates also fared better than expected, securing victories in about 800 villages.
The second phase of the Gram Panchayat elections witnessed a high voter turnout of 85.86%, with polling held for 3,911 Sarpanch posts covering 29,917 wards. Of the 54.4 lakh eligible voters, about 46.7 lakh exercised their franchise, according to a report by the State Election Commission on December 14.
Counting of votes for the second phase began at 2 p.m., with results being announced from 3 p.m. A total of 12,782 candidates contested for sarpanch positions and 71,071 for ward member seats.
Voter participation remained robust across districts, with male turnout at 85.71% and female turnout marginally higher at 86%. Polling by voters registered under the ‘others’ category stood at 41.96%. Several districts, including Warangal, Hanumakonda, Siddipet and Jangaon, reported polling percentages exceeding 91%. The voter turnout in the first phase stood at 84.28%. Polling was largely peaceful, though minor scuffles were reported between Congress and BRS supporters in several districts.
The number of women who cast their vote were 23,93,010, exceeding men voters at 22,77,902. And, 60 voters from the ‘Other’ category exercised their franchise. Among the 31 districts where the second phase polls were held, the highest of 91.72% was recorded in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri and the lowest of 76.71% in Nizamabad.
In Kollapur constituency, both the Congress and BRS shared honours winning more than 30 villages each. Former MLA Beeram Harshavardhan Reddy said that in Pentlavalli village, the BRS candidate won with a majority of over 1,500 votes indicating the strength of BRS.
Polling in the second phase of gram panchayat elections in Khammam district witnessed brisk voting, registering a voter turnout of 85.95% by 1 p.m. when polling ended.
Meanwhile, mild tension prevailed at a polling booth in Nelakondapalli mandal headquarters when local cadre of the Congress and BRS engaged in an argument accusing each other of trying to influence voters during the polling. The police intervened and dispersed the cadre of both the parties.
The elections also saw notable local outcomes and isolated tragic incidents. In Palakurthy mandal of Peddapalli district, a woman candidate won by a narrow margin, while several candidates elsewhere secured victories by just one vote.
Ch. Katamraju, a candidate from Kishtapuram village in Munugodu mandal of Nalgonda district, reportedly died of a heart attack after learning of his defeat. Damala Nagaraju, an independent candidate contesting for the Anasagar sarpanch post in Nelakondapalli mandal of Khammam district, died after falling ill due to stress during election campaigning.
Results for 2,971 Sarpanch posts and 25,436 ward member posts were declared, according to a latest report from Telangana State Election Commission. The third phase of polls would be held on December 17.
Published – December 14, 2025 09:11 pm IST
