Jaipur, Sep 21 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured the mayoral posts in Ajmer and Pali despite the Congress winning more councillor seats in both municipal corporations. The Congress, however, retained Bikaner, where Anil Kalla was elected mayor. In Ajmer, BJP’s Anamika Sharma secured 43 votes and was elected mayor, despite the BJP having won 32 of the 80 councillor seats.
The Congress had emerged as the largest party with 37 seats, while 11 Independents also won. The majority mark was 41. In Pali, BJP’s Namita Bubakia was elected mayor with 33 votes. The BJP had won 21 councillor seats, while Congress had emerged as the largest group with 29 seats.
Congress candidate Sumitra Jain received three votes. Pali had 15 Independent councillors, making their support significant in the mayoral contest.
The BJP also secured the mayoral post in Udaipur, where Paras Singhvi was elected. The BJP had won 53 of the 80 wards, giving it a clear majority.
In Alwar, BJP’s Sumanlata Agarwal defeated Congress candidate Kamlesh Sharma, securing 42 votes against Sharma’s 23. In Bikaner, Congress leader Anil Kalla, nephew of former minister B.D. Kalla, was elected mayor.
The Congress had won 42 of the 80 wards in the corporation, crossing the majority mark on its own. In Baran district’s Atru municipality, Congress’ Nisha Nainwal defeated Krishna Murari Dilawar, brother of Education Minister Madan Dilawar, by three votes. Tension was reported in Shri Vijaynagar municipality of Sri Ganganagar district ahead of the chairperson election.
A clash broke out between Congress supporters and police, during which a police officer reportedly sustained a head injury.
Congress leader Tika Ram Jully also had a heated exchange with Additional SP (Rural), Priyanka Raghuvanshi, after Congress councillors entered the barricaded area to cast their votes.
Jully questioned how BJP chairperson candidate Puran Chand Meena had entered the area without police permission and challenged the police over the arrangement. He also made a remark suggesting that officials might as well wear the BJP’s collar.
Separately, reports emerged of alleged gunfire near a nursery on Bajuwala Road involving three councillors. Congress leaders alleged that Mangatram of Ward 20, Pyarelal of Ward 21 and Independent councillor Vijay Kumar of Ward 13 had been abducted. Families of the three councillors reached the Shri-Vijaynagar police station and submitted a complaint seeking registration of a case.
They also staged a protest demanding immediate action.
Raisingh-Nagar DSP, Hanuman Singh, reached the police station after receiving information about the incident. Additional police personnel were deployed in view of the tense situation, and officials began collecting information.
The allegations of gunfire and abduction had not been officially confirmed by police or the administration at the time of reporting.
In Baran district’s Anta municipality, Congress candidate Pradeep Nagar won the chairperson’s post by a single vote.
Nagar secured 18 votes against BJP candidate Dhanraj Chaurasia. The Congress and BJP had won 16 councillor seats each, while three Independents held the remaining seats. Two Independents supported the Congress and one voted for the BJP, determining the outcome.
With the result, Congress retained control of the Anta municipal board for the fourth time. In Sikrai municipality, BJP’s Kailash Bairwa defeated Congress candidate Kailash Baswal by one vote. Sub-Divisional Returning Officer Manoj Verma administered the oath to Bairwa.
In Churu Municipal Council, BJP’s Vinay Goenka was elected chairperson with 34 votes, defeating Congress candidate Sanjay Bhati, who received 26 votes. In Mundawar municipality of Khairthal-Tijara district, BJP’s Mahendra Gurjar defeated Congress candidate Manisha Bai Gurjar by nine votes to become chairperson.
In Bharatpur, BJP’s Anuradha Singh arrived to take the oath as mayor, accompanied by several councillors.
The remaining councillors are scheduled to take their oaths the following day.
In Udaipur, City MLA Tarachand Jain stayed away from the voting process involving BJP councillors and remained at his office, around 100 metres from the municipal corporation premises. He reportedly kept track of developments through phone calls with supporters.
Jain had also maintained a distance during the filing of mayoral candidate Paras Singhvi’s nomination. The move came amid reports of differences over the selection of the mayoral candidate, with Jain’s preferred faction not prevailing in the process.
The results in the major corporations have highlighted the importance of Independents and cross-support in closely divided corporations.
The BJP had secured clear ward-level majorities in Udaipur, Bhilwara and Kota, while Congress had a majority in Bikaner.
Ajmer and Pali, where the Congress had emerged as the largest group, subsequently saw BJP candidates win the mayoral elections.
–IANS
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