New Delhi: In a setback for the ruling Congress in Rajasthan, the BJP has won 1,911 seats in the recently held panchayat samiti elections while the former could bag only 1,781 seats. According to the state election commission website, the Independents gained 425 seats, the Bahujan Samaj Party got 3 seats while CPI-M captured 16 seats in the elections while RLP got 57 seats. The results are yet to come out for the remaining 132 seats.

BJP’s winning streak continued with Panchayat Samiti elections where they have won the Zila Parishad elections, where BJP won 353 seats while Congress was limited to 252. CPI-M garnered two seats, the Independents 18 and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party had 10 seats.

News channel NDTV quoted BJP leader Prakash Javadekar as saying, “This shows that the people of Rajasthan are with the BJP. And not only Rajasthan, the results in Bihar, Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, all show that the entire nation are happy with the BJP and its reforms. Voters have rejected the opposition’s negative politics.”

“Be it east, south, north .. wherever you go, it’s BJP, BJP, BJP. Despite the opposition’s attack on farm reforms, people are supporting the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he added.

According to political analysts, Sachin Pilot’s replacement as Congress President may have affected the party’s performance in the Panchayat & Zila Parishad polls.

“This victory is the people’s stamp on BJP’s rural policies. It reflects PM Narendra Modi’s developed ideology for farmers and this victory also reflects the hard efforts taken by BJP workers,” BJP state president Satish Poonia said.

“The Panchayat and Zila Parishad polls victories come at a time when Modi’s polices were being protested against in Rajasthan by the Congress government who were supporting the bandh call on Tuesday. When they were pelting stones on BJP office as a part of Bharat Bandh, people voted against their two years of misrule which was marred by lawlessness.

“Also there was no implementation of farm loan waiver as promised by Congress leaders during assembly elections, the school fee issue, electricity bill issue were further left unresolved, he added.

Poonia said, “The outspoken Rajasthan PCC president Govind Singh Dotasara could not make Congress win in his own constituency, also health minister Raghu Sharma and former PCC chief Sachin Pilot could not win in his own home turf, it seems that Congress is losing its hold after two years in power,” he said.

Udailal Anjana, state cooperative minister was among the winners for Congress.

State Election Commission conducted these elections in 21 districts — Ajmer, Banswara, Barmer, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Bundi, Chittaurgarh, Churu, Dungarpur, Hanumangarh, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Jhalawad, Jhunjhunu, Nagaur, Pali, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Sikar, Tonk and Udaipur.

The polls were held in four phases including November 23, 29, December 1, and 5.

BJP National president J.P. Nadda tweeted: “I thank the people of the rural areas of the state, farmers and women for putting their faith in the BJP in the Panchayati Raj and Zila Parishad elections in Rajasthan. This victory symbolises the trust of poor, farmers and workers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”

(With agency inputs)