Big blow for Congress in Rajasthan as BJP sweeps local body polls

JAIPUR: In a major upset for Congress, BJP relegated the former to the second position in the Rajasthan local body elections by winning many more seats in both

panchayat samitis

and zila parishads than the governing party.

BJP won 1,989 seats in the panchayat samiti elections while Congress could win 1,852 seats. Of the total 222 panchayat samitis for which the polls were held, BJP won an absolute majority in 93 panchayat samitis while Congress could win only 81. In 43 panchayat samitis, Independents will call the shots while in five other samitis, smaller parties have won a majority. As per the results announced by the state election commission (SEC) on Wednesday, independents won 439 seats, RLP 60, CPM 26 and BSP five.

The elections were held to 4,371 seats in 222 panchayat samitis and 636 seats in 21 zila parishads.

In zila parishad elections, BJP won 353 seats while Congress had to contend with 252. Independents bagged 18, RLP 10 and CPM two seats. The result of one zila parishad has not been announced yet.

BJP is in a majority in 13 zila parishads and is set to head two more in Nagaur and Barmer with the help of ally RLP. Congress won the remaining five zila parishads.

“This victory is the people’s stamp on BJP’s rural policies. It reflects support for PM Modi’s ideology, laws for farmers and the hard work of BJP workers,” BJP state president Satish Poonia said.

Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra thanked the candidates for “widening the party’s base” in the panchayat polls. “These results give us motivation to work better in the future. Congress will do better in the upcoming elections by keeping a good synergy between power and organisation,” Dotasra tweeted.

The SEC had conducted elections in the 21 districts of Ajmer, Banswara, Barmer,

Bhilwara

, Bikaner, Bundi, Chittorgarh, Churu, Dungarpur, Hanumangarh,

Jaisalmer

, Jalore, Jhalawad, Jhunjhunu, Nagaur, Pali, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Sikar, Tonk and Udaipur. The polls were held in four phases on November 23 and 29, December 1 and 5.

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