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Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar has offered Rs 10 lakh in funds for villages in his Karimnagar Lok Sabha constituency if they unanimously elect a BJP-backed candidate in the upcoming Telangana gram panchayat polls to be held in December.
The BJP MP noted that he had access to Members of Parliament Local Area Development Division (MPLADS) funds – a scheme under which each MP can suggest works of up to Rs 5 crore in their constituency.
“As a Union Minister, I’ll secure even more central funds to strengthen panchayat development,” Bandi Sanjay said.
He also warned that if a BRS or Congress-backed candidate wins, “new funds will not come, and even central funds may get diverted.”
He alleged that under the previous BRS and the present Congress governments, funds were promised to panchayat office bearers elected unanimously but not delivered.
Several states, including Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, have offered cash incentives ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 20 lakh to panchayats that elect their sarpanch and members unanimously. The practice is intended to save election expenditure and prevent political animosity during the elections. However, these funds are promised for any candidate elected unanimously, not just those associated with a particular political party.
In Telangana, the previous BRS government had offered a cash incentive for such unanimously elected panchayats in 2019. Many sarpanches had expressed discontent over the subsequent delay in releasing these funds.
Bandi Sanjay, however, has promised to make an effort to bring Union government funds to only those panchayats that unanimously elect a BJP-backed candidate.
“If your village elects a BJP-supported sarpanch unanimously in Karimnagar Parliamentary constituency, I will directly fund Rs 10 lakh for that village’s development – no delays, no excuses,” he said.
Apart from MPLADS funds, he said that as a Union Minister, he would “Secure even more central funds to strengthen panchayat development.”
“Only the BJP brings real funds. If Congress or BRS-backed candidates win by mistake, new funds will not come, and even central funds may get diverted. Don’t fall for their tricks. Don’t fall for their inducements,” he added.
Bandi Sanjay’s promise came days after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief and Maharashtra Finance Minister Ajit Pawar faced criticism for making a similar promise.
While campaigning for the Malegaon Nagar panchayat elections, Ajit Pawar said that the party had fielded 18 candidates.
"I will ensure there is no shortage of funds if you elect all 18 NCP candidates. If you elect all of them, I will fulfil whatever I have promised. But if you 'cut' my candidates, I will also ‘cut’ (the funds). You have the power to vote, and I have the power to release funds. Now decide what you want to do," said Ajit Pawar. NCP is part of the BJP-led coalition government in Maharashtra.
Opposition parties have slammed Ajit Pawar for ‘threatening’ voters and urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take action.