Ajmer civic poll results spark horse-trading fears, Congress tightens watch

Congress has moved its newly elected Ajmer councillors into a guarded camp ahead of the mayoral election. A video of city president Dr Rajkumar Jaipal urging them to avoid inducements has intensified attention on cross-voting fears.

The results of the Ajmer Municipal Corporation elections have set off a political tug-of-war over the formation of the civic board and the election of the next mayor, with fears of cross-voting and horse-trading prompting the Congress to put its newly elected councillors under tight watch.

The Congress has moved its winning councillors into a guarded camp as the parties gear up for the mayoral election. Amid the heightened political activity, a video of Congress Ajmer city president Dr Rajkumar Jaipal addressing the newly elected councillors from inside the camp has surfaced on social media.

In the video, Jaipal is seen warning the councillors to stay away from any inducements or exchange of money and maintain party discipline.

"Money will be exchanged, envelopes will be distributed... you have to stay away from all that," Jaipal says in the video. He also reminds the councillors that discipline remains the party's top priority.

Jaipal goes on to instruct the councillors not to leave the camp until the voting day on September 21. He tells them that, regardless of who approaches them, they must remain inside the camp until the election.

"You cannot go anywhere from today until the 21st. You should not use mobile phones or speak to anyone from outside. If there is any problem, inform the organisation directly," he says.

The video has sparked discussion on social media as political parties seek to secure their numbers ahead of the mayoral election.

With the results throwing up a closely fought contest for control of the Ajmer civic body, the focus has now shifted to keeping councillors together and preventing cross-voting as the September 21 vote approaches.