The New Indian Express ·
Politics
Rajasthan civic polls: BJP takes early lead as counting underway
The ruling BJP took an early lead as counting of votes for councillor posts in 309 urban local bodies began across Rajasthan on Monday, with the party winning 1,937 wards against the Congress’ 1,646, according to figures available till 11.45 am.
Of the 10,245 wards up for election, results for 4,690 had been declared. Independents had won 1,040 wards, while the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) secured 42, the Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) eight, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and CPI(M) six each, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) five. The figures include candidates elected unopposed.
A total of 77 candidates had been elected unopposed before polling. Counting began at 8 am at designated centres across the state amid tight security.
The elections, held in two phases on September 9 and 11, are being seen as a test of the BJP government and the opposition Congress ahead of the 2028 Assembly polls. More than 1.44 crore voters were eligible to cast their ballots.
Polling was held for 162 urban local bodies in the first phase, recording a turnout of 76.42 per cent, while the remaining 147 bodies voted in the second phase, with a turnout of 70.68 per cent.
The BJP and Congress mounted an intense campaign, with Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully, BJP state president Madan Rathore and Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra campaigning for their parties.
The results will decide control of civic bodies across Rajasthan and offer an indication of the urban electoral mood nearly three years after the 2023 Assembly elections.
In Jaipur Municipal Corporation, the largest civic body in the current polls, counting is underway for 150 wards. The city has more than 24 lakh electors.
The election of civic body heads will follow the councillor results. Mayors and chairpersons will be elected on September 21, followed by elections for deputy mayors, deputy chairpersons and municipal vice-presidents on September 22.
The current elections cover 309 urban local bodies, 10 municipal corporations, 51 municipal councils and 248 municipalities, with 10,245 councillors to be elected.
The number of urban local bodies has risen from 196 in the previous elections, held between November 2019 and February 2021, after the creation of new municipalities and the expansion, reorganisation and delimitation of existing urban areas.
In the previous polls, the Congress controlled 123 of the 196 urban local bodies after the election of their heads, while the BJP headed 64. Independents and other parties controlled the remaining nine bodies.
(With input from PTI)
