BJP tightens grip on Rajasthan municipal bodies, wins six of seven mayoral polls
Days after emerging as the largest party in Rajasthan’s urban local body polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party cemented its dominance on Monday by winning the mayoral contests in six of the seven major municipal corporations.
The BJP defeated the Congress in Alwar, Udaipur, Pali and Ajmer, while its candidates were elected unopposed in Bharatpur and Bhilwara.
Of Rajasthan’s 305 urban local bodies, elections to the top posts were scheduled in 273 on Monday. Chairpersons had already been elected unopposed in 32 bodies.
Elections in the Jaipur, Jodhpur and Kota municipal corporations and the Suket municipality will be held on September 25.
In Udaipur, BJP candidate Paras Singhvi secured 55 votes against the 25 polled by Congress candidate Dr Poonam Kanwar. An Independent candidate received four votes, including two each from BJP and Congress councillors.
In Ajmer, the BJP’s Anamika Sharma was elected mayor with 43 votes. The party, which had 32 councillors, secured the support of 11 Independents. The Congress received 37 votes.
The contest in Pali delivered a bigger setback to the Congress, which finished third despite emerging as the largest party in the municipal corporation elections.
BJP candidate Namita Bubukia won the mayoral election with 33 votes, narrowly defeating Congress rebel Rajbala Hingad, who secured 29. The official Congress candidate received only three votes.
The results also marked a breakthrough for the Aam Aadmi Party, which formed its first municipal council board in Rajasthan. AAP candidate Sheetal Rathore was elected chairperson in Baran.
The mayoral results followed the urban body elections held on September 9 and 11, in which the BJP emerged as the largest party.
It won 4,182 wards, while the Congress secured 3,619. Independents and candidates from other parties won 2,273 wards.
The strong showing by Independents made them crucial to the election of mayors and chairpersons in several urban bodies.
Both the BJP and the Congress moved their councillors to hotels and resorts ahead of Monday’s voting to prevent defections and secure the support of Independents.
Ahead of voting on Monday, Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully stepped up his attack on the BJP government, alleging that Congress councillors were being detained and prevented from voting in some urban local bodies.
He accused the BJP of using the police and administration in Rajasthan and neighbouring states to influence the election of civic body heads.- EndsPublished By: Aprameya RaoPublished On: Sep 21, 2026 16:22 IST
