Election Results: BJP takes lead over Congress in Rajasthan local body polls as counting continues

Election Results: Counting of votes for councillor posts in 309 urban local bodies across Rajasthan began on Monday amid tight security, officials said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is ahead in nine municipal corporations in Rajasthan, including Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Pali, Bhilwara, Kota, Alwar, Ajmer and Bikaner, as counting continues, Times of India said.

The counting process began at designated centres across the state at 8 am. Security personnel have been deployed in and around the counting centres and entry is being allowed only to authorised persons, they said.

The elections, being seen as a major test for the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress ahead of the 2028 Assembly polls, were held in two phases on September 9 and 11.

A total of 10,245 councillors are to be elected in 309 urban local bodies, comprising 10 municipal corporations, 51 municipal councils and 248 municipalities.

More than 1.44 crore voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the elections.

Till 10 am, results for 23 of the 150 wards in the Jaipur Municipal Corporation have been announced. The BJP has won 17 wards, while the Congress has secured five and an Independent candidate has won one, the TOI report said.

When was the voting held?

Polling for 162 urban local bodies was held in the first phase on September 9 with 76.42 per cent voter turnout. The remaining 147 urban local bodies went to polls on September 11 and 70.68 per cent voter turnout was recorded.

The civic elections witnessed an intense campaign by the BJP and the Congress, while Independents and candidates of other parties were also in the fray in several urban bodies.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Tikaram Jully, BJP state president Madan Rathore and Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra were among the prominent leaders who campaigned for their respective parties.

The elections are politically significant as the results will determine the control of civic bodies across the state and provide an indication of the urban electoral mood nearly three years after the 2023 Assembly elections.

In the Jaipur Municipal Corporation, the state's largest civic body in the current elections, votes are being counted for 150 wards. Jaipur has more than 24 lakh electors.

After the councillor results, the process for constitution of the urban local bodies will move to the election of their heads.

Mayors and chairpersons will be elected on September 21, while deputy mayors, deputy chairpersons and municipal vice-presidents will be elected on September 22.

(With PTI inputs)