Jaipur, Sep 23 (IANS) The results of the Rajasthan civic elections have highlighted varying levels of regional influence among Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress Ministers and senior leaders.
The BJP retained control in several Assembly constituencies of its Ministers, securing Chairman and Vice-Chairman posts in multiple urban local bodies. In some Assembly constituencies, however, the Congress mounted a challenge and managed to secure key positions.
The results have also provided a picture of the regional influence of several Congress leaders who have been active in Rajasthan politics for years.
The BJP won 20 seats in the Bharatpur Municipal Corporation, which is the Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma’s home city, and relied on the support of Independents to strengthen its position.
The BJP also succeeded in electing Mayors in all seven municipal bodies.
While the Mayoral election for the Jaipur, Jodhpur and Kota Municipal Corporations is scheduled for September 25.
The BJP formed boards in two of the three municipalities in the Assembly constituency.
However, the BJP lost the Jhalawar Municipal Council, where both the President and Vice-President posts went to the Congress.
In the Dudu Assembly constituency, the BJP failed to form boards in either municipality.
In the Phagi and Dudu municipalities, both the President and Vice-President posts went to Congress and Congress-supported candidates.
Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa, however, is also associated with the Sanganer Assembly constituency.
In the Jodhpur Lok Sabha constituency, elections were held in the municipalities of Phalodi, Bap, Balesar and Pokaran.
The BJP won in Phalodi, Bap and Balesar, while the Congress won in Pokaran.
The Jodhpur Municipal Corporation election results are scheduled to be announced on September 25.
There are two municipalities in the Srimadhopur Assembly constituency.
The BJP won in Srimadhopur, while the Congress won in Ajitgarh.
In the Sangod Assembly constituency, BJP candidates won both the President and Vice-President posts in the Sangod municipality.
The BJP won both the President and Vice-President posts in the Sawai Madhopur Municipal Council, located in the Sawai Madhopur Assembly constituency.
The BJP won both posts in Ramganj Mandi which is constituency of Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar.
The BJP captured all four municipalities in the Malpura-Todaraisingh Assembly constituency: Malpura, Diggi, Lambaharisingh and Todaraisingh.
The BJP led in nine of the 12 urban local bodies in the Alwar Parliamentary constituency.
The BJP also performed successfully in the constituencies associated with Jawahar Singh Bedham, Minister of State for Home Affairs; Sumit Godara, Food Minister; Avinash Gehlot, Social Justice Minister; Suresh Rawat, Water Resources Minister; Jogaram Patel, Parliamentary Affairs Minister; and Gajendra Singh Khimsar, Health Minister.
The BJP did not secure the top positions in the constituencies associated with Ministers of State Vijay Singh Chaudhary, Manju Baghmar and Otaram Dewasi, Cooperation Minister Gautam Kumar Dak, Revenue Minister Hemant Meena and Chief Whip Jogeshwar Garg.
Of the seven urban local bodies in Bikaner, which falls within Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal’s Lok Sabha constituency, the BJP secured the President’s post in four, while the Congress won two and the CPI-M one. However, the BJP did not secure the Mayoral post in the Bikaner Municipal Corporation, one of the most prominent urban local bodies in the region.
The Congress won the Mayoral post, while the BJP secured the Deputy Mayor’s position.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is the Congress MLA from Sardarpura, which falls within the Jodhpur Municipal Corporation area. Of the 100 wards, the BJP won 45 and the Congress 44. Former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot is the Congress MLA from Tonk.
The Congress secured a majority in the civic body and elected its candidates as Chairman and Deputy Chairman.
Elections were held in 59 of the 60 wards, with the Congress winning 32 and the BJP 19.
Rajasthan Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra is the Congress MLA from Laxmangarh.
Of the 45 wards in the Municipal Council, the Congress won 20, the BJP 15 and Independents 10.
The Congress subsequently took control of the municipality.
Rajasthan Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully is the Congress MLA from Alwar Rural.
In Malakhera Municipality, of the 20 wards, the Congress won nine, the BJP two and independents nine.
–IANS
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