Karimnagar: While State government is planning to introduce indirect election system to elect sarpanches of gram panchayats by bringing in new Panchayat Raj Act, Congress Party on Sunday made it clear that it was against such proposal.

TPCC vice president and former MP Ponnam Prabhakar said the Congress Party was against the proposal of the new election system for sarpanches.

Speaking to the media on Sunday, Prabhakar said, “If the new system is implemented, it will be benefitted to the rich and not common people. Further, the proposed indirect election will pave the way for irregularities and horse trading in the election of sarpanches.”

According to him, the draft of the new Panchayat Raj Act proposes certain reforms which include indirect election of sarpanch by ward members of the village. The election of ward members would be on political party basis. At present, the election is direct and non-party basis. The draft favours more powers to village panchayats than now.

The Congress leader requested existing sarpanches in Karimnagar Lok Sabha constituency to pass a resolution against the ruling TRS proposal to amend Panchayat Raj Act. He said, “For the last three years the state government is neglecting the Gram Panchayats. Even if the Centre is releasing the funds, the state is diverting it for other purposes.”

He added that to protect Grama Swarajam the Congress party will move with an action plan against state government.