Thu Dec 11 12:10:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:

Telangana Panchayat Elections: First Phase Sees High Turnout, Mixed Results for Major Parties

Hyderabad, Telangana – December 11, 2025 – The first phase of the Telangana Gram Panchayat elections concluded on Thursday with an impressive 84.28% voter turnout. Over 4.5 million voters cast their ballots in elections held across multiple districts. Results revealed a mixed bag for the major political parties, with Congress and the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) securing victories in various villages. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also made its presence felt.

Early results show a close contest between Congress and BRS, with independent candidates also securing wins. In Khammam district, a Congress candidate secured victory in Vaira Mandal with a significant majority, dealing a blow to local MLA Tellam Venkatrao. A similar setback for Venkatrao occurred in Bhadradri Kothagudem, where the BRS won the Sarpanch seat in his home village.

Across the Gajwel constituency, out of 115 villages, 12 were unanimous, while 103 villages participated in the election. As of Thursday evening, the BRS had secured 17 seats, Congress 20, BJP 4 and independent candidates won 5.

Instances of tight races and unique outcomes were reported throughout the state. In Medak district, a tie in Surampalli village was decided by a lottery draw, with the BRS-backed candidate emerging victorious. In Regodu Mandal, a Congress supported candidate won by one vote. A similar situation occurred in Yadadri district’s Laxmakkapalli village, where a lottery draw favored the BRS after a tied vote.

Key highlights from other districts include:

  • Siddipet: Congress and BRS were in a tight contest, with BJP winning 4, and other parties bagging 15
  • Nizamabad: Telangana Jagruthi, a regional party, opened its account with a win in Veerannagutta Thanda.
  • Mahabubabad: The sitting MLA faced a setback as his sister-in-law lost the election in his home village.
  • Kamareddy: A re-count in Bhikkanur Mandal saw the BRS candidate win by 6 votes.

Polling was largely peaceful, although minor clashes were reported between party workers in Nalgonda district. Authorities seized unaccounted cash in Gajwel. Polling began at 7:00 AM and concluded at 1:00 PM, with counting commencing at 2:00 PM. Results were gradually announced throughout the day. The election commission focused on maintaining law and order, with special attention given to sensitive areas. The election process started with the collection of postal ballots. The final results are expected to be released soon.

Key Points:

  • High voter turnout of 84.28%
  • Close contest between Congress and BRS
  • Incumbent MLAs facing setbacks in their home turfs
  • Instances of tied results decided by lottery
  • Minor clashes reported during polling

This election phase is crucial in determining the power dynamics at the grassroots level, setting the stage for future political alignments in Telangana.

Read More