Politics

Ahead of upcoming sarpanch (village head) elections, over 500 nominations were filed across around 90 gram panchayats (GPs) in Mancherial district — reflecting high local political activity. However, there are serious concerns: some villages like Gudem in Dandepalli mandal haven’t elected a sarpanch in decades because their seats are “reserved” for Scheduled Tribes (ST) — even though the village reportedly has no tribal population. Similar issues exist in other gram panchayats — reservation rules have prevented actual elections, leaving gaps in local governance and representation.

After the 2023 assembly elections, Premsagar Rao won from the Mancherial Assembly Constituency. Gaddam Vinod Kumar reclaimed the Bellampalli Assembly Constituency (also in Mancherial district) representing Indian National Congress (INC), gaining the seat back from the rival party. These results shape the district’s current political leadership, with INC representatives holding key assembly positions.

Congress party councillors have submitted a notice to District Collector Santosh Badavath seeking to move a no-confidence motion against Mancherial Municipal Chairman Pentarajayya and Vice Chairman Gajula Mukesh Goud, who belong to the BRS party. On Friday, 26 councillors travelled to the Collector’s office in a special bus. They met the Collector and submitted a petition with signatures. Congress floor leader Ravula Uppalayya and deputy leader Vemulapally Sanjeev informed the Collector that they have the required strength of councillors needed for the no-confidence motion. Since the majority of members support them, they requested the Collector to arrange a meeting to move the no-confidence motion against Chairman Pentarajayya and Vice Chairman Gajula Mukesh Goud. The Collector will verify the details and signatures of the councillors within 15 days. After that, a special meeting will be arranged to allow the no-confidence motion. Following the Assembly elections, where Congress candidate Kokkirala Prem Sagar Rao won as MLA, 17 BRS councillors joined the Congress. Earlier, former MLA Nallipelli Diwakar Rao had taken five councillors into BRS, but now Prem Sagar Rao brought 17 councillors into Congress—seen as a “return gift” to Diwakar Rao. With the required strength now increased, there is no need for resort politics. The councillors told the media that they will be moving the no-confidence motion against the Chairman and Vice Chairman.