Shimla, May 28 -- Even as the state gears up for the second phase of polling for 1,276 panchayats scheduled on Thursday, both Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) engage in claims to have outdone each other in the phase 1 of the panchayat elections in which results were declared for 1,293 panchayats on May 26. As per the state commission, in the second phase votes will be polled for 1,276 panchayats in the state. The voting will begin at 7 am and continue till 3 pm in which 17.30 lakh voters will cast their votes of which 8.74 lakh are men, 8.55 lakh are women and 17 are others (transgenders). Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the victory of Congress-backed candidates in panchayat polls reflects public appreciation for the state government's policies and welfare initiatives. "The panchayat elections are not fought on party symbols, but the victory of Congress-supported pradhans and candidates on various posts is a clear indication that people have appreciated the policies and announcements of the Congress government," Sukhu said. Taking a dig at the BJP, state Congress president Vinay Kumar declared that the people of the state have "completely rejected the party". BJP state president Dr Rajiv Bindal stated that candidates backed by the BJP have achieved a historic and resounding victory in the first phase of the panchayati raj elections in Himachal. He said voting concluded on May 26 across 1,293 panchayats in the state and according to reports, BJP-backed candidates for the posts of pradhan and up-pradhan registered a magnificent victory in approximately 75% of these panchayats. Former CM and leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, who has been camping in Mandi, said, "In the Seraj region, the BJP delivered an unprecedented performance in the first phase, hoisting its victory flag in 25 out of the region's 28 panchayats, while the Congress was left to settle for a mere two seats." Seraj is the constituency of Thakur. The state election commission had decided to conduct re-polling in one ward of gram panchayat Sambal under the Tissa Development Block of Chamba district....