Jaipur, Sep 21 (IANS) Results for 301 civic bodies in Rajasthan have been declared so far, with the BJP emerging as the dominant force in the mayoral and chairperson elections.
BJP candidates have secured 197 posts, while Congress has won 94. Independents have bagged seven posts, while AAP, CPM and RLP have won one post each.
The BJP has also secured mayoral posts in six of Rajasthan’s seven municipal corporations whose results have been declared.
Congress managed to retain the mayor’s post in Bikaner. The results have produced several reversals for Congress, including in Ajmer and Pali, where the party initially appeared to have an advantage based on its councillor numbers.
In Ajmer, BJP’s Anamika Sharma was elected mayor after securing 43 votes, despite the BJP having won 32 councillor seats in the corporation. In Pali, BJP candidate Namita Bubakia won the mayoral election with 33 votes. The BJP secured 21 councillor seats, while Congress won 29. However, Congress candidate Sumitra Jain received only three votes.
The BJP also secured the mayoral posts in Udaipur and Alwar. Paras Singhvi won in Udaipur, while Sumanlata Agarwal emerged victorious in Alwar. Agarwal secured 42 votes against Congress candidate Kamlesh Sharma, who received 23 votes. In Bikaner, Congress candidate Anil Kalla was elected mayor. Kalla is the nephew of former minister BD Kalla.
Another notable result came from Atru municipality in Baran, where Congress candidate Nisha Nainwal defeated Krishna Murari Dilawar, brother of Education Minister Madan Dilawar, by three votes in the chairperson election.
The results also saw the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) make a surprise entry by winning a civic body chairperson post.
CPM and RLP also secured one post each, while independents won seven posts.
It may be noted that elections had already been decided unopposed in 32 civic bodies, including the Bhilwara and Bharatpur municipal corporations. The electoral process is not yet complete. Elections for mayoral posts in three municipal corporations, including Jaipur, and one municipality are scheduled for September 25.
With the remaining mayoral contests still to be decided, the final political picture of Rajasthan’s urban local bodies will emerge only after the September 25 elections.
–IANS
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