MAHESH AVADHUTHA I hyderabad

 India lives in its villages and it is now the time of the hinterland as the bugle for Panchayat elections has been sounded. The buzz is palpable but what is striking is the trend of communities rallying behind single candidates as Adivasi strongholds, turning potential battlegrounds into consensus celebrations.

Sample this: In Inderavelly mandal's Tejapur GP, locals and Adivasis united to elect K Rajeshwar as sarpanch without a whisper of opposition, a nod to community-driven leadership. Nearby, in Nirmal district, another GP is poised to echo this verdict publicly within days. Political insiders whisper that at least 15 more Adivasi-majority GPs in the region are primed for similar unopposed triumphs, prioritizing unity over rivalry.

Take erstwhile Adilabad district, home to over 170 Gram Panchayats (GPs) with significant tribal populations. Here, villagers have wasted no time. This isn't isolated—it's a state-wide trend. In Vikarabad district's Manthangoud GP, ST reservation paved the way for a family sweep: one sarpanch and ward members all from the same lineage, sealed unanimously.

Yet, not everyone's on board with this shortcut to power. District Collectors and election officials in Adilabad have issued stern advisories: informal village huddles won't cut it. Official blessings come only post-nomination withdrawals, when a lone contender emerges unopposed. "The poll process is sacrosanct," they emphasize, ensuring procedural purity amid the enthusiasm.

Dangling carrots

Behind the scenes, parties like Congress, BJP, and BRS are in overdrive. In Karimnagar, Union Minister and BJP MP dangling ₹10 lakh constituency funds as bait for unanimous wins for BJP candidates. Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageshwar Rao ups the ante with similar ₹10 lakh rewards for GPs delivering clean sweeps on sarpanch and ward fronts. It's a carrot-laden chess game, where leaders jet between villages, tailoring picks to reservation quotas while dreaming of drama-free dominions.

As Telangana's grassroots gamble unfolds,  clear: in these polls, the real winners might just be the villages that vote with their hearts—and wallets—before casting a single ballot. With tribal solidarity, youth audacity, and official oversight colliding, the stage is set for an election season that's as much about accord as ambition.

Meanwhile, the machinery hums for those GPs not shunning the spotlight. Nominations for Phase-1—spanning 4,236 panchayats and 37,450 wards—kicked off Thursday, November 27, and run till November 29. Scrutiny follows on the 30th, withdrawals close December 3, and symbols get allotted that day. For the contested fray, polling fires up December 11 (7 AM-1 PM), with counts rolling in at 2 PM sharp.

Young Candidate’s Rs 30-Lakh Pitch

But the real drama unfolds in Peddhemul mandal's Nagulapalli village, where a youngster Yadav Reddy dropped a bombshell via video: a whopping ₹30 lakh bounty for backing his uncontested run. "Past sarpanches pocketed perks while our village crumbled," he thundered, vowing ₹10 lakh for a Hanuman temple facelift, ₹6 lakh for minority and Christian welfare, and ₹2 lakh as an emergency kitty. The clip has ignited village chatter, with some hailing it as fresh vision and others decrying it as flashy politicking.

Mobile app for  Panchayat polls

The Telangana State Election Commission on Thursday launched a mobile application which enables voters to download details of their polling station and also to lodge complaints in regard to the Gram Panchayat elections to be held in December.

The Commission said voters can download their voter slip and polling station details and upload complaints using the app. The progress of their complaints can also be tracked.The 'Te-poll Mobile App' is available on PlayStore, it said in a release. The Commission on November 25 announced a three-phased schedule for gram panchayat elections in the state to be held on December 11, 14, and 17.