JAIPUR: The Congress has won six of the nine wards across the Jaipur, Jodhpur and Kota municipal corporations and the Suket Municipal Council in Kota district in the repolling results announced on Thursday. In contrast, the ruling BJP could secure just the remaining three wards. Re-polling was conducted on Wednesday after electronic voting machines malfunctioned at 10 polling booths in these wards.
The latest results have added to the Rajasthan BJP leadership’s problems after the party failed to secure clear majorities in several significant municipalities. Districts where the BJP failed to bag a clear majority include Bharatpur, the home district of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, and Pali, the home district of state BJP chief Madan Rathore. The re-polling has also led to the postponement of the mayoral and deputy mayoral elections in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Kota, which were earlier scheduled for September 21 and 22.
Meanwhile, the Congress has accused officials of facilitating horse-trading during the formation of municipal boards and the election of chairpersons and mayors. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot alleged on social media that democracy was being “openly plundered” in Rajasthan. He claimed that an IAS officer posted in the Chief Minister’s Office was pressuring district collectors and sub-divisional magistrates to ensure the formation of BJP-backed boards.
Gehlot alleged that the BJP was offering crores of rupees in bribes to Independent councillors and those elected on symbols of other parties. “Councillors who refused to support the BJP were allegedly being threatened or forcibly taken away by the police,” he said.
The controversy intensified after the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee’s official social media handle reposted Gehlot’s statement and publicly named the officer allegedly involved. The party also warned that officials found complicit in the alleged process would face strict action “in due course”. The post was deleted later.
The voting for 856 councillor seats across 10 municipal corporations was held in two phases on September 9 and 11. Results for 848 seats were declared on September 14, while the results for the remaining eight municipal corporation wards were announced on Thursday after re-polling. Of the 856 seats, the BJP won 406, the Congress won 312, while Independents and smaller parties secured the remaining 138.
309 urban body elections deliver fractured verdicts
Elections to 309 urban local bodies, held simultaneously under the state government’s “One State, One Election” initiative, delivered fractured verdicts across Rajasthan. Neither the BJP nor the Congress secured a clear majority in 174 bodies, accounting for about 56% of the total. The two parties obtained clear majorities in only 135 bodies.