Congress demands indirect elections to GPs in Telangana

Hanamkonda: The district Congress leaders have opposed the reported decision by the government to conduct indirect elections to gram panchayats (GPs) in the State. A delegation led by the party district president N Rajender Reddy here on Tuesday submitted a representation in this connection to the district administration. In the memorandum, the party leaders demanded the government to conduct direct elections to the GPs.

Referring to the sub-committee headed by the State Panchayat Raj Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, drafting a new Panchayat Raj Bill proposing indirect elections at gram panchayat election might lead to group politics, luring of members by illegal means by individuals, said Rajender Reddy. 

He alleged that the TRS government for the past four years diluted the gram panchayat system by denying funds. Programmes like Mana Ooru Mana Pranakalika, Grama Jyothi were launched grandly but were remained futile as funds were allocated to the local bodies. Sarpanches, MPTCs, ZPTCs and ZP chairpersons were made ineffective much against the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. The TRS government has been promoting political defections from MPTC to MP level, he alleged.

The Congress leaders also opposed the decision to conduct the elections in February month, six months ahead of the schedule. As per the schedule, the term of the sarpanches was due till August month, they said demanding to conduct the elections in July month. 

They also wanted the government to upgrade the thandas as gram panchayats. City Congress president K Srinivas Rao, working president Rajanala Srihari, ex-mayor Errabelli Swarna, ex-MLAs Seetakakka, G Venkata Ramana Reddy, V Narender Reddy, K Sridhar, P Veeraiah, party leaders EV Srinivas Rao, D Sambaiah and others were present.