BJP secures 4 of 10 Rajasthan civic bodies; Cong blames 'unfair' delimitation
BJP wins 4,179 wards against Congress’ 3,613, while Congress takes Bikaner and Jhalawar and Independents spring a surprise in Bharatpur.
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 majority in Bikaner Municipal Corporation and scored a major victory in Municipal Council in Jhalawar, considered a stronghold of former chief minister Vasundhara Raje.
Independents stun BJP in Bharatpur
Independents emerged as a major force by winning 2,273 wards and dominating the verdict in Municipal Corporation in Bharatpur, the hometown of Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, where they bagged 36 of the 65 wards.
Bharatpur gave one of the most striking verdicts of the elections as Independents won 36 of the 65 wards, while BJP managed 20 and Congress seven. BSP and RLP won one ward each.
The result assumed political significance as Bharatpur is the hometown of Chief Minister Sharma. As the numbers streamed in, Sharma termed the victory to people's faith in the BJP, and central leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congress Rajasthan chief Govind Singh Dotasra, however, claimed that the BJP's winning margins had thinned against the pattern, even as he blamed an "unfair" delimitation to his party's narrow losses. Earlier, even as the vote count was on, Dotasra accused the BJP of misusing government machinery and police to influence the outcome.
BJP wins 4 civic corporations
According to figures available on the State Election Commission website, results for 10,235 of the 10,244 wards where counting was being held were declared till 8.30 pm. Apart from BJP's 4,179 and Congress's 3,613 wards, the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party won 63, AAP 42, CPI(M) 38, BSP 19 and Bharat Adivasi Party eight.
The BJP crossed the majority mark in Jaipur, Udaipur, Kota, and Bhilwara municipal corporations, while the Congress secured a majority in Bikaner. In Jaipur Municipal Corporation, the BJP won 78 of the 150 wards, Congress won 53, and Independents won 15 wards. Results for four wards were yet to be declared on the SEC website.
The BJP won 53 of the 80 wards in Udaipur, while the Congress secured 23, Independents three and CPI(M) one. In Bhilwara, the BJP won 45 of the 70 wards against the Congress's 10, while Independents won 15. The BJP also crossed the majority mark in Kota, winning 55 wards in the 100-member corporation.
Congress scores key victories
Congress, in Bikaner Municipal Corporation, won 42 of the 80 wards against the BJP's 27. Independents won 10 and RLP one.
Jodhpur remained on the fence as the BJP and Congress won 44 wards each in the 100-member corporation. Independents won 10 and RLP one, while one result was yet to be declared.
In Ajmer, Congress emerged as the largest party with 37 of the 80 wards against BJP's 32 and Independents' 11, leaving no party with a clear majority. Congress also emerged as the largest party in the municipal corporation of Pali, the hometown of BJP state president Madan Rathore, winning 29 of the 65 wards. The BJP won 21 and Independents 15.
In Alwar, BJP was the largest party with 28 of the 65 wards, followed by Congress with 23, Independents 13 and BSP one.
Congress also scored a notable victory in Jhalawar, a region considered a political stronghold of senior BJP leader Vasundhara Raje. It won 29 of the 45 wards in Jhalawar Municipal Council, while BJP secured 13, Independents two and AAP one.
The BJP, however, retained its dominance in Jhalrapatan municipality, winning 22 of its 35 wards against Congress' eight and AAP's five. Raje, a two-time chief minister, is the sitting BJP MLA from Jhalrapatan.
(With agency inputs)