Unlike gram panchayat polls, which are held without party symbols, elections to Mandal, Zilla Parishads and municipalities are conducted on party lines. The issue of holding these elections was brought up in the State Cabinet meeting held on June 5, where Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy sought opinions from his ministers on the sequencing of the elections. A majority of the Cabinet members reportedly supported holding gram panchayat polls first, citing logistical readiness and ongoing welfare activity in villages. The Chief Minister, sources said, stressed the need for a comprehensive debate in the upcoming Cabinet meeting before arriving at a final decision. CM Revanth Reddy has stated that Cabinet meetings would now be held every 15 days. With the last meeting held on June 5, the next session is expected on June 20, where the issue is likely to be finalised. In anticipation of the polls, the Congress government has decided to speed up implementation of flagship welfare schemes. This includes releasing Rythu Bharosa payments for the kharif season, initiating disbursal of funds for Indiramma Houses construction in villages by June-end and face gram panchayat elections in July. The upcoming elections are being seen as a political litmus test for the 18-month-old Congress government, which assumed power after winning the December 2023 Assembly polls. While the Opposition BRS and BJP are aggressively targeting the government over alleged failure to fulfill pre-poll promises, including the six guarantees, crop loan waivers, job recruitment, and employee welfare, the Congress claims it has delivered several key promises despite inheriting a severe financial crisis from the previous BRS regime. The government touts the implementation of India’s largest one-time crop loan waiver of ₹21,000 crore, provision of ₹500 gas cylinders, free 200 units of electricity, the Mahalakshmi free bus scheme, and ₹12,000 per acre annually to farmers under Rythu Bharosa. It also points to the launch of the Indiramma housing scheme as evidence of its commitment to inclusive development. The delay in holding elections has left gram panchayats without elected representatives since February 2024, zilla and mandal parishads since July 2024 and municipalities since January 2025. In the absence of elected bodies, special officers are managing administration, leading to the suspension of finance commission grants by the Centre and worsening the fund crunch in local governance. Congress leaders believe the outcome of the local body polls will serve as a ‘referendum’ on Revanth Reddy’s performance. Ministers are actively touring districts, distributing welfare scheme benefits and mobilising support. The TPCC has directed all MLAs to intensify village-level outreach by July and coordinate with MPs, MLCs and district ministers to identify strong candidates and ensure electoral success.
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