E-Paper
Congress gets 36 local body chiefs out of 50 in Rajasthan
It was a clean sweep for the Congress in five districts. The Congress won two seats in Baran, eight in Bharatpur, three in Dausa, two in Dholpur and three in Karauli.
Congress leaders were elected as chairpersons of 36 municipal bodies in Rajasthan out of 50 for which results were declared on Sunday. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates were elected chairmen of 12 local bodies and independents of two.
In Alwar, the Congress formed the governing boards in two municipal councils and the BJP won four.
It was a clean sweep for the Congress in five districts. The Congress won two seats in Baran, eight in Bharatpur, three in Dausa, two in Dholpur and three in Karauli.
In the capital, Jaipur, the Congress won nine councils out of 10. In Jodhpur, Sawai Madhopur and Kota, it was one each for the BJP and Congress.
In Sri Ganganagar, both BJP and Congress won four councils. In Sirohi, BJP won the only council.
After the results were declared, Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasara tweeted: “Today after the end of the election for chairman in Rajasthan’s 50 municipal bodies, the Congress party managed to get control of 36 boards and BJP was reduced to only 12 boards. Thanks once again to all Congress workers and leaders for this expected result.”
State BJP spokesperson Mukesh Pareek said that ahead of local body elections, the delimitation of seats was done by the Congress on the lines of religion and caste which suited the party. “The Congress also misused government machinery to form their boards in majority,” Pareek said.
On December 12, the Congress had defeated the BJP in elections to 50 urban local bodies in 12 districts of the state.
The results come a few days after the BJP performed better than the Congress in rural local body elections in 21 of the state’s 33 districts.
Results for urban local bodie elections show that independent candidates will play the role of kingmakers in the formation of boards in most districts.
Of 1,775 municipal wards, results were declared for 1,774 on December 12; the Congress bagged 619, independents 597, BJP 547 and the rest others.
The voting to elect representatives of 1,775 wards in 50 municipal bodies was held on December 11. Amid Covid-19 restrictions in the state, a 79.90% voter turnout was recorded.
The highest turnout, 90.32%, was recorded in the Bharatpur Nagar municipal body. The lowest turnout, 64.39%, was recorded at Sawai Madhopur Nagar Parishad. Out of 14,35,000 voters in 12 districts, 11,46,000 voted.
The Congress suffered a setback in the Rajasthan rural body elections.
