BJP gets control of 87 out of 129 Civic Bodies in Rajasthan

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which had won 67 Municipal bodies in Rajasthan, added 20 more to its kitty by the virtue of Independents and luck (in lottery) to get the control of 87 civic bodies in the state.

The Congress added 4 more to its kitty, making it 37. Four other civic bodies were won by Independent candidates. NCP-backed candidate won in one municipal body. They did not accept the dominance of these major parties.

Independents won the chairman’s post in four civic bodies of Rawatsar (Hanumangarh), Kuchera (Nagaur), Uniara (Tonk), and Bhinder (Udaipur). NCP-backed candidate won in Nokha.

BJP, which had wrested Ajmer Municipal Corporation from the Congress by winning 31 seats, faced serious rebellion, when its elected Corporator Surendra Shekhawat filed nomination for the Mayor’s post against the party’s official candidate Dharmendra Gehlot with the help of Congress (22) and others (7). As both candidates got 30 votes each, the decision was taken on the basis of a lottery and the BJP candidate emerged winner. Shekhawat was expelled from the party.

Out of 3,351 wards in the civic bodies in Rajasthan, BJP won 1,443 wards, Congress 1,164, Independents 703, NCP 19, BSP 16, CPI 5 and CPM one ward. Rajasthan victory came as a big boost to CM Vasundhara Raje, who has been facing LalitGate heat, although BJP lost in her den – Jhalawar and Dholpur.