Though gram panchayat elections are held on a non-party basis, the candidates contesting for sarpanch posts and ward members openly flaunt their party affiliations at the ground level. Both the YSR Congress party and the main opposition TDP took the gram panchayat elections prestigiously as they provide a hold over the electorate at the grassroots level. Here's what govt says“The outcome of gram panchayat elections in Kuppam is a reflection of the people’s faith in the welfare schemes being implemented by chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Putting up a confident and aggressive stance, Naidu said the YSRC had tried to bulldoze the panchayat elections by misusing its power. He alleged that the YSRC leaders and the police had threatened to file false cases against the TDP candidates in the panchayat polls.

Source: Hindustan Times February 27, 2021 13:14 UTC