NIZAMABAD: In a surprising move, a few candidates who lost in the gram panchayat elections have begun to recover money and gifts they distributed among the voters in villages in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts.
Hoping to get support in the recently-concluded two phases of panchayat elections, a group of contestants had distributed money and materials like utensils and sports kits among villagers.
Through caste-based organisations and self-help groups, the contestants distributed money either in cash or as post-dated bank cheques. Majority of the candidates had also arranged food and liquor parties to garner the support of voters. On the same lines of the Assembly election sops, a few voters accepted money and material from the candidates during the campaign.
The first and second phases of the panchayat elections were held on January 21 and January 25 respectively and the results were declared on the same days of polling. Considering the population and revenue sources of the panchayats, a large number of candidates contested in the elections in both districts.
Some of the candidates who lost the elections were shocked by the meagre number of votes they received. They came to the conclusion that the caste-based organisations and members of SHGs did not keep the promises they made during the poll campaign.
