JAIPUR: The ruling Congress on Sunday formed governing boards in 48 municipal bodies, while its arch-rival BJP managed majority in 37, followed by independents at three places. The elections for Ajmer mayor and chairpersons in 89 other urban local bodies (ULBs) gave an upper edge to the Congress, which had a clear majority in just 19 bodies compared to BJP’s 24 in terms of seats that the two parties had won.
The saffron party suffered majorly as it has been reduced from 60 ULBs it won in 2015 to 37 this time. It has managed to win three ULBs out of five in former CM Vasundhara Raje’s bastion Jhalawar. The elections for the 90 ULBs spread in 20 districts were held on January 28 and the results were announced on January 31. On Sunday, the elected councillors voted for a mayor in Ajmer and for chairpersons in 86 other bodies. For three ULBs, the chairpersons were elected unopposed.
Congress had a clean sweep in two districts, Hanumangarh and Bundi, while BJP won in Pali.
BJP recorded its best performance in Ajmer Municipal Corporation by securing 61 votes for its mayor candidate Brajlata Hada. BJP gained support of 13 independents in Ajmer to increase its tally from 48 to 61 in the house of 80 seats.
Two chairmen—BJP’s Surendra (Ladnu municipal body, Nagaur) and Congress’ Sagir Ahmed (Pirawa municipal body, Jhalwar) are illiterate.
Congress had been exuding confidence about forming governing boards in over 50 bodies, while the BJP was keeping its cards close to its chest. “I predicted much earlier that Congress will form its boards in more than 50 ULBs. Other than the 48 Congress boards, the two boards formed by independents are with our support. NCP which formed one board is part of our national alliance under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA),” said PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra.
The party was unwilling to give credit to independents for its victory. Dotasra cleared that leaving seats vacant in over 250 wards was a strategic decision that worked in favour of his party. “The reason why majority of the independents have gone with the Congress is that they belong to our party,” said Dotasra.
BJP doesn’t seem to be lucky as Congress in its strategy of not fielding candidates in over 300 wards. It sustained major losses in Bundi, Rajsamand and Churu. “Congress has grossly misused government machinery to bring independents in their favour. Our party contested against Congress and the government machinery is a reason that we missed out forming governing boards at several places,” said Satish Poonia, BJP state president.