The ruling BJP emerged ahead of the Congress in Rajasthan’s urban local body elections on Monday, winning 4,179 wards against the opposition party’s 3,613 and securing clear majorities in four of the state’s 10 municipal corporations.
The Congress secured a majority in Bikaner Municipal Corporation and scored a major victory in Jhalawar Municipal Council, considered a stronghold of former chief minister Vasundhara Raje.
Independents emerged as a major force, winning 2,273 wards and dominating the verdict in Bharatpur Municipal Corporation, the hometown of Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, where they won 36 of the 65 wards. The result also saw the Aam Aadmi Party make a significant breakthrough in Baran.
Results postponed in four municipal corporations
The Rajasthan State Election Commission (SEC) in the evening announced that the mayor and deputy mayor elections have been postponed in Jodhpur Municipal Corporation, Kota Municipal Corporation, Jaipur Municipal Corporation and Suket Municipality after technical glitches affected the counting process.
The state polling body said counting could not be completed in some wards after electronic voting machines (EVMs) malfunctioned. It did not provide further details and said more information would be released later.
According to the latest figures, results for 10,204 of the 10,244 wards where counting was under way had been declared by 9.18 pm.
Besides the BJP and Congress, the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party won 63 wards, AAP 42, CPI(M) 38, BSP 19 and Bharat Adivasi Party eight.
Independents shock BJP, Congress in Bharatpur
Bharatpur produced one of the most striking verdicts of the elections, with Independents emerging as the largest group. They won 36 of the 65 wards, while the BJP secured 20 and Congress seven. BSP and RLP won one ward each.
The result carries added political significance as Bharatpur is the hometown of Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma. As the results came in, Sharma attributed the victory to people's faith in the BJP and the central leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
With no party securing a majority, Independents are expected to play a decisive role in the formation of the municipal board and the election of the mayor.
Congress springs surprises in Jhalawar, Tonk
The biggest upset came from Jhalawar, regarded as a BJP stronghold associated with former chief minister Vasundhara Raje. In the Jhalawar Nagar Parishad, Congress won 29 of the 45 seats, securing a clear majority, while the BJP was limited to 13.
The result puts Congress in a position to form the board in an area that has long been considered a BJP bastion.
Congress also registered a major victory in Tonk, the Assembly constituency of former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot. Elections were held in 59 of the 60 wards of the Tonk Nagar Parishad, with Congress winning 32 seats against 19 for the BJP and eight for Independents.
The Congress not only outperformed the BJP in Pilot's constituency but also secured a clear majority to form the board.
Turnaround in Jodhpur
Jodhpur produced another politically significant result, with the BJP winning the home ward of former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, while Congress won the home ward of Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
The outcome means both prominent leaders saw their respective parties lose in the wards associated with their political bases.
AAP surprise in Baran
A major surprise came from Baran, where the Aam Aadmi Party secured a clear majority. AAP won 31 of the 60 seats, while Congress secured 18 and the BJP nine.
The result marks a significant breakthrough for AAP in Rajasthan, putting the party in a position to form a municipal board on its own for the first time in a Nagar Parishad in the state.
The verdict also disrupted the traditional BJP-Congress contest in the civic body, with AAP finishing ahead of both major parties.
Corporation-wise results
- In Jaipur, results have been declared for 146 of the 150 wards. The BJP won 78 wards, followed by Congress with 53 and Independents with 15.
- In Jodhpur, results for 99 of the 100 wards have been declared. The BJP and Congress are tied at 44 wards each, while Independents have won 10.
- In Kota, results for 96 of the 100 wards have been declared, with the BJP leading with 54 wards, followed by Congress with 38 and Independents with four.
- In Ajmer, all 80 wards have been declared. Congress won 37 wards, the BJP 32 and Independents 11.
- Bikaner also completed counting for all 80 wards, with Congress winning 42, the BJP 27 and Independents 10.
- In Udaipur, all 80 wards have been declared, with the BJP winning 53, Congress 23 and Independents three.
- In Bhilwara, the BJP won 45 of the 70 wards, while Independents secured 15 and Congress 10.
- In Alwar, all 65 wards have been declared, with the BJP winning 28, Congress 23 and Independents 13.
- In Bharatpur, all 65 wards have been declared, with Independents winning 36, followed by the BJP with 20 and Congress with seven.
- In Pali, all 65 wards have been declared. Congress emerged as the largest party with 29 wards, while the BJP won 21 and Independents 15.
With inputs from Manish Bhattarcharya
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