JAIPUR: The BJP has won posts of mayor, chairperson and president in 197 of the 301 urban local bodies, more than twice the Congress tally of 94.
According to results available so far, Independents have won seven posts, while Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), CPI(M) and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) have secured one each.
Elections for the posts were held in 273 urban local bodies on Monday after heads of 32 of the 305 bodies covered under the current schedule were elected unopposed.
The ruling party's performance is substantially stronger than its showing in the councillor elections, in which it won 4,182 of the 10,244 wards that went to the polls. Congress won 3,619 wards and Independents 2,273.
Even though Independents accounted for more than one-fifth of all elected councillors and emerged as key players in several fractured verdicts, they have been able to secure the top posts in only seven of the 301 urban local bodies decided so far.
Independent candidates won the top posts in municipal councils of Dholpur, Hanumangarh, and Sadulshahar, and municipalities of Surajgarh, Todabhim, Riyanbari and Fatehnagar-Sanwad.
AAP's Sheetal Rathore won the chairperson's post in Baran Municipal Council, while CPI(M)'s Bajranglal won the Nokha Municipality of Bikaner district. RLP's Alka won the chairperson's post in the Mundwa Municipality of Nagaur district.
Of the seven municipal corporations where mayors have been elected so far, the BJP has won six -- Ajmer, Alwar, Bharatpur, Bhilwara, Pali, Udaipur -- while the Congress has won Bikaner.
In the Ajmer Municipal Corporation, Congress emerged as the largest party with 37 councillors against the BJP's 32, while Independents won 11, yet the mayoral post went to BJP candidate Anamika Sharma, who secured it with 43 votes.
In Alwar, the BJP won 28 of the 65 wards and Congress 23, while Independents secured 13 and the BSP one. BJP candidate Suman Lata Agrawal won the mayoral election with 42 votes.
In Pali, Congress won 29 of the 65 wards, BJP 21 and Independents 15. BJP candidate Namita Bubakiya, however, won the mayoral election with 33 votes.
The influence of Independents was particularly pronounced in Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma's hometown, Bharatpur.
Independents swept 36 of the 65 wards in Bharatpur Municipal Corporation, crossing the majority mark of 33 on their own, while the BJP won 20 and Congress seven. The BSP and RLP won one ward each.
Its tally of 20 councillors could not limit the BJP from getting its candidate, Anuradha Singh, elected as mayor unopposed.
The mayoral elections in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Kota municipal corporations and the chairperson election in Suket Municipality are scheduled for September 25.
There are a total of 309 urban local bodies.
Reacting to the results, Rajasthan BJP president Madan Rathore said the people endorsed the development work of the Bhajanlal government.
"The people of Rajasthan have given us their full blessings. They have put their stamp of approval on the development works carried out by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma," Rathore said.
He also thanked the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and credited the party's success to housing and sanitation schemes, strengthening of railways and roads, power sector measures and industries.
"We wanted to win all 309. Wherever there have been shortcomings, we will review them and take corrective measures," he said.
Rejecting Congress's allegation that government machinery was used to influence the election, Rathore said, "We have never misused power. You cannot hold someone's hand and make them vote. Voting is done voluntarily."
He accused the Congress of disrespecting the mandate and claimed that Independent councillors in Pali had approached the BJP on their own after the ward results.
The Congress has accused the BJP government of using the police and administration to pressure councillors during the process to elect civic body heads.
Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully alleged that Congress councillors from Tijara were detained by Haryana Police and that former MLA Sandeep Yadav was detained for several hours.
Jully alleged that Congress councillors were under pressure also in Khairthal and Malakhera. He said party councillors in Mathania were prevented from voting.
Reports of clashes between police and Congress supporters emerged in Srivijaynagar municipality in Sriganganagar district.
"This is not an election, but an attempt to capture the mandate using the power of the government. It is an open violation of democratic norms and blatant misuse of government machinery," Jully alleged.
In the previous municipal election cycle, November 2019 and February 2021, Rajasthan had 196 urban local bodies comprising 7,500 wards.
After the elections for mayors and chairpersons, the Congress controlled 123 of the 196 bodies and the BJP 64, while Independents and others headed nine.
