Hyderabad: Although the Gram Panchayat elections are supposed to be held on non-party basis, the preponderant election of party-backed candidates in the first phase polls held recently has enthused the Congress to hope that the bulk of elected “independent” sarpanches would also shift their loyalties to the grand old party sooner or later.

Telangana Congress leadership has been exuding confidence that not only independents, but also sarpanches elected with the support of Bharat Rashtra Samithi party would join the ruling Congress party.

As per available details, about 2,400 Congress-backed candidates got elected as sarpanches in the first phase elections. In all, 1,142 BRS-backed candidates got elected as sarpanches, while less than 200 BJP-supported candidates got elected as sarpanches.

However, 455 candidates registered victory as “independent” candidates in the December 11 elections.Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee chief B Mahesh Kumar Goud opined that not only “independent” sarpanches but also “BRS sarpanches” would join the Congress. Perhaps, this was the reason why “some of the Congress MLAs did not work seriously in these elections”, he observed. However, he warned that the party would proceed against party legislators found to have been negligent in the first phase elections.

The TPCC chief said that the “independent sarpanches” or others would get good access to the government for carrying forward developmental works, should they join the Congress. “It's quite natural practice as there are no party symbols in the elections,” he commented.

This being so, it is learnt that in some constituencies, the Congress party has started luring independent sarpanches into the party fold.

In areas where party ended up with a poor show, MLAs have started luring the “independent” sarpanches elected in many villages.

The MLAs are trying to strengthen their hold by enlisting the support of a majority of sarpanches, mainly to escape from imminent punishment by the party, it is learnt.