The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday took the lead over the Congress in Rajasthan's urban body elections. Of the 10,210 ward results declared so far, BJP has won 4,171 seats while Congress has won 3,597 seats. Different pictures have emerged in the results of major municipal corporations.
BJP has gained a clear lead by winning 53 wards in Udaipur Municipal Corporation with 80 members, 45 wards in Bhilwara Municipal Corporation with 70 members and 53 wards in Kota Municipal Corporation with 100 members. At the same time, Congress performed better in Bikaner, while in Ajmer and Pali also it remained ahead of BJP. BJP has taken lead in Jaipur and Alwar.
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Tough competition in Jodhpur district
Jodhpur district has seen a tough contest between the two parties. BJP and Congress won 44 wards each, while independent candidates won in 10 wards. Independent candidates have performed better in Bharatpur, the home district of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma. Of the total 65 wards of Bharatpur municipal body, independents have won or are leading in 36, while BJP is winning or leading in 20 and Congress in seven wards.
Congress won in Ajmer
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) have won one ward each. Out of 80 wards of Ajmer, Congress has won 37 seats, BJP 32 and Independents have won 11 seats. Of the total 65 wards in Pali Municipal Corporation, the home town of BJP state president Madan Rathod, Congress has won 29, BJP has won 21, while 15 wards have gone to independents.
View party wise statistics
Even at the state level, independent candidates have performed better and have won a total of 2,272 wards. With this, they can play a decisive role in many urban bodies. Counting of votes took place in a total of 10,244 wards in the state, out of which results of 10,210 had been declared by 5:45 pm. BJP has won 4,171 wards, Congress 3,597, Independents 2,272, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLPA) 63, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) 38, BSP 19, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) 42 and Bharat Adivasi Party eight wards.
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test of assembly elections
These elections are being seen as an important political test for the BJP government led by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and the opposition Congress before the 2028 assembly elections. Elections to a total of 309 urban bodies were held in two phases on September 9 and 11. These include 10 municipal corporations, 51 city councils and 248 municipalities. A total of 10,245 councilors are to be elected and more than 1.44 crore voters were eligible to vote.
Election of mayor and chairman on 21st September
In the civic elections of 2019-21, there were 196 urban bodies and 7,500 wards in Rajasthan. After the mayor and chairperson elections, Congress had won control of 123 urban bodies, while BJP had 64 bodies. Independents and representatives of other parties were elected to key positions in nine bodies. The elections for the Mayor and Chairman will be held on September 21, while the elections for the Deputy Mayor, Deputy Chairman and Municipal Vice Presidents will be held on September 22.