After Panchayt elections ended, People demands for re-polling in Mustabad

Sircilla: While all the newly elected sarpanches and ward members took oath on Saturday across the State, the situation was different in Mustabad. Gandla Sumathi, who was elected from the panchayat, did not come to the gram panchayat office to take oath as scores of villagers laid a siege it.

Twelve sarpanch contestants, who have been agitating for re-polling, observed Mustabad mandal headquarters bandh on Saturday. The bandh evoked a good response with almost all sections of society participating voluntarily. The election to Mustabad panchayat was held in the second phase. Amid high drama, election authorities had declared Gandla Sumathi winner. The other contestants raised objections for not allowing them into counting stations.

Though the officials had not announced officially, there was a leak that the candidate contesting on a coconut symbol had won the seat with six votes. After some time, Sumathi, who was allocated bat symbol, was declared the winner with 26 votes.

Expressing doubts over the counting, husbands of contesting candidates, including Thandra Ramgopal, Rajalingam, Balsani Srinivas and Dili Narsimhulu, observed fast-unto-death for four days. They withdrew strike on Wednesday following the assurance by Sircilla RDO Srinivasa Rao.

On Friday, they took out a padayatra from Mustabad to Sircilla to give representation to the Collector requesting him to conduct re-polling. Though the counting was scheduled to start at 2 pm, authorities had begun it after 3 pm by sending candidates away from the spot, Chevula Sravanthi, one of the sarpanch aspirants, expressed doubt while speaking to Telangana Today.

On the day of counting, officials declared that a total of 5,077 voters were polled. Later, the number was put at 5,061. She wanted the election authorities to conduct a re-polling and suspend CI Anil Kumar, who, according to her, was outrightly supporting Sumathi and humiliating other candidates with derogatory remarks.