The Congress seems to have dented the urban voter base of the BJP in Rajasthan. The results for the municipal elections declared on Thursday showed that the BJP was down by 11 municipalities as compared to the last elections, while the Congress won 23, a gain of 13.
In the Jaipur Municipal Corporation, Congress nominee Jyoti Khandelwal became the mayor, though the BJP won a majority — 46 of 77 wards — in the civic body.
Independents emerged winners in three municipality boards while there was a tie in three. Independents won the post of chairperson in six boards and one went to a Bahujan Samaj Party candidate.
For the first time, a eunuch won a post in the local body polls: Mamta Bai, an independent candidate, was elected as the chairperson at Rawatbhata Municipal Council in Kota district.
While the BJP got a majority of councillors in 15 municipalities, it could win only 10 positions of chairpersons.
The Congress won all four mayor’s position, in Jaipur, Kota, Bikaner and Jodhpur and post of chairperson in 29 municipalities. “People have voted for development,” Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said.
“The credit for the victory goes to the policies of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and welfare works undertaken by the state government in the last 11 months.”
{{/usCountry}}“The credit for the victory goes to the policies of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and welfare works undertaken by the state government in the last 11 months.”
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