Mahabubnagar: The recently concluded Gram Panchayat elections in the united Mahabubnagar (Palamuru) region have sent a clear and cautionary signal to the ruling Congress party.

Despite being in power in Telangana, the Congress failed to sweep the village-level polls as traditionally expected of a ruling dispensation.

Instead, the elections turned into a hard-fought contest, exposing sharp internal divisions, leadership issues, and widespread dissatisfaction at the grassroots.

Out of a total 1,678 gram panchayats notified for elections, 1,671 Gram Panchayats across the Palamuru region has gone for local elections.

Of these, Congress managed to secure 964 Sarpanch posts. While this technically gave the party a majority, senior leaders and political observers openly admit that the performance fell far short of expectations.

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), which had suffered setbacks in the earlier Assembly and Parliamentary elections, staged a notable comeback by winning 482 Sarpanch posts.

The BJP emerged as a growing force with 75 seats, independents won 149, and the CPI secured one seat.

Congress insiders reveal that the party should have comfortably crossed the 1,500-seat mark.

However, internal groupism, rebel candidates, factional rivalries, and covert support to opposition candidates severely dented its prospects. In many villages, Congress leaders and cadre were found working against their own official nominees, often in defiance of local MLAs.

The trend was evident across key constituencies.

In Kollapur, represented by Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, elections were held in 137 Gram Panchayats. Congress could win only 69 seats, while BRS bagged 44. BJP and independents made notable inroads. Party sources admit that rebellion and tacit backing to independents cost Congress at least 10 additional seats. A similar picture emerged in Makthal constituency under Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Minister Vakiti Srihari. Of the 138 Gram Panchayats, Congress won 70 seats, BRS secured 31, and nearly 10 seats went to Congress rebels.

Political observers believe that a united Congress could have crossed the 100-seat mark here with ease.

Jadcherla constituency presented one of the most embarrassing outcomes for the party. Congress won 83 of the 172 Gram Panchayats, narrowly ahead of BRS, which won 72. Discontent among party workers over the leadership style of local MLA Anirudh Reddy reportedly played a major role.

Allegations that senior and loyal workers were sidelined led several leaders to quietly back rival candidates.

Adding to the embarrassment, Congress lost its official Sarpanch candidate to a BJP contestant in Rangareddy Guda—Anirudh Reddy’s native village—highlighting the depth of internal dissatisfaction and erosion of local support. Narayanpet constituency further underlined the party’s troubles. Of the 95 Gram Panchayats, Congress could win only 43 seats. Rebels won five seats, while several former Congress leaders—now marginalised—emerged victorious as independents or with backing from rival parties.

There are also allegations that some Congress leaders secretly supported BRS and BJP candidates while remaining within the party fold.

Overall, the Palamuru Panchayat election results underline a critical reality for the Congress: power at the state level does not automatically translate into grassroots dominance. Internal conflicts, poor coordination, and alienated workers allowed BRS—and to a lesser extent the BJP—to regain lost ground in rural Telangana.

Senior Congress leaders concede that with unity and disciplined leadership, the party could have delivered a far more decisive verdict.

As one leader candidly remarked, “Had we remained united, winning over 1,500 Sarpanch seats was well within reach.”