Cong wins municipal polls after close contest with BJP
BJP wins majority in Ajmer corporation, NCP to form municipal boards for first time in Raj
KOTA The Congress on Sunday won municipal polls held in 20 districts of Rajasthan in a neckand-neck contest with the BJP.
Out of total 3,034 municipal wards, Congress won 1,197, BJP 1,140 and independents and others 634, according to results announced by the state election commission. NCP won 46 wards, RLP 1, CPM 3 and BSP 1.
Elections were held for 3035 municipal wards of the 90 municipal bodies, including a municipal corporation, 9 municipal councils and 80 municipalities.
The BJP won a majority in Ajmer municipal corporation.
The Congress has maintained its winning spree in the municipal polls after ensuring lead over the BJP in the civic polls held in November and December 2020. The Congress had lagged behind BJP in the panchayat polls.
The NCP won an absolute majority in Nokha municipality of Bikaner and emerged as the biggest party in Tonk’s Niwai municipality. The NCP will form municipal boards in Rajasthan for the first time.
In Ajmer corporation, BJP won 48 wards, Congress 18, RLP 1 and independents 13. A mild stone pelting was reported in a municipal ward during the counting, officials said.
CM Ashok Gehlot tweeted, “The results of 90 municipal bodies are pleasant. Congratulations to all the winning Congress candidates and Congress leaders for ensuring victory of the party. I also express gratitude to the voters . ... Congress will be able to form its municipal boards at most places”.
Transport minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said “Victory of Congress...is stamp on the good governance of Gehlotled state government and acknowledgment of the failure of Modi government”.
BJP state president Satish Poonia said, “Municipal polls have once again proved that Congress is a a sinking ship as people have reposed their faith in the BJP in municipal polls”.
The BJP has regained hold over Jhalawar municipal council and Jhalarapatan municipality. Jhalarapatan is the assembly constituency of former CM Vasundhra Raje. The Congress had won in Jhalawar municipal polls held 5 years ago.
The BJP won 25, Congress 17 and independents 3 out of 45 wards in Jhalawar. Out of 35 wards in Jhalarapatan municipality, the BJP won 20, Congress 14 and independent 1.
The Congress and BJP have already started herding their winning corporators for the chairperson and deputy chairperson elections to be held on February 7 and 8.
The Congress and BJP won 14 wards each in Lakshmangarh municipality, the home constituency of the PCC chief and education minister Govind Singh Dotasara. Board formation will depend on 12 independents in the 40-ward municipal board.
Defeat of the Congress in
Ajmer corporation was a setback for health minister Raghu Sharma who is the MLA from Ajmer’s Kektri constituency. In Kekri municipality, however, Congress won 21 wards out of 40, bringing respite to Sharma.
In Bikaner’s Deshnok municipality, Congress won 11 wards and BJP 10 out of 25 wards. The municipality comes under higher education minister, Bhanwar Singh Bhati’s constituency.
The Congress won 15 wards out of 25 wards in Nainwa municipality of Bundi district from where minister of state for youth affairs and sports,
Ashok Chandana is the MLA.
Congress lagged behind in Nawa municipality of Nagaur district from where deputy whip Mahendra Chaudhary is MLA. Congress is behind the BJP Pokran municipality that comes under minority affairs minister Saleh Mohammad’s constituency .
Commenting on NCP’S feat, political analyst, Prakash Bhandari said, “NCP managed its win but this is certainly not a vote to the party. NCP won on the shoulders of Congress supporters who either did not get Congress ticket or strategically fielded themselves from NCP.”