The municipal equations in Rajasthan have taken a fresh turn following the conclusion of re-polling, which has sparked intense political maneuvering across the state. The State Election Commission’s announcement of September 25 as the voting date for the mayors of Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Kota municipal corporations, along with the president of the Suket municipality in Kota district, has set off a fresh race for power. These key urban bodies had experienced localized technical issues during the initial polling phase, prompting the authorities to conduct a re-poll on specific booths. With the final numbers now officially settled, the battle for the top administrative seats has entered its final lap.
The State Election Commission has outlined a comprehensive step-by-step roadmap to ensure a smooth and orderly electoral process. A public notification officially initiating the process was issued on September 18, setting the stage for the crucial municipal contest. Candidates who wish to run for the mayoral positions in Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Kota, as well as the president's post in Suket, have been given until September 19 to submit their nomination papers. The scrutiny of these documents will take place on September 21, and candidates will have until September 22 to withdraw their nominations if they choose to do so.
The Key Dates and Timelines for the Elections
The actual voting to elect the mayors and the municipal president is scheduled to take place on September 25. The polling window will remain open from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on the designated day, during which the elected councillors of the respective bodies will cast their votes. The election officials have made extensive arrangements to begin the counting of votes immediately after the polling concludes. The results are expected to be declared on the same evening, bringing an end to the administrative delays and political uncertainty caused by the earlier machine failures.
However, the election process will not conclude with the mayoral announcements on September 25. On the very next day, September 26, the local administration will conduct elections for the posts of deputy mayors in the three municipal corporations and the vice-president in Suket municipality. This process is structured to be completed swiftly within a single day. A general meeting of the elected council members will commence at 10:00 AM, and candidates will have until 11:00 AM to submit their nomination papers. The evaluation of these nominations will be performed at 11:30 AM, after which candidates can withdraw their names until 2:00 PM. If multiple candidates remain in the fray, voting will take place from 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM, followed by immediate counting and result declarations.
Decisive Sweep for Congress in Jaipur's Re-Polls
The political equations in the state capital of Jaipur experienced a notable shift after the re-polling results were declared. The re-poll was conducted across five polling booths distributed within four specific wards where technical glitches in EVMs had previously disrupted voting. Demonstrating a strong performance, Congress managed a clean sweep across all four of these wards. This sweep has strengthened the party's overall standing in the local body, though it still trails behind its principal opponent.
Looking closely at the individual ward results in Jaipur, several candidates secured decisive victories. In Ward number 9, Kailashi Devi representing Congress won by a margin of 764 votes. In Ward number 18, Vandita Sharma secured her victory with a margin of 181 votes. Meanwhile, Ward number 25 saw Rekha Devi emerging victorious by a margin of 397 votes, and Suresh Yadav won Ward number 34 with a margin of 149 votes. Prior to these re-polls, Congress held 53 seats in the 150-ward Jaipur Municipal Corporation. With these four victories, its seat count has risen to 57. On the other hand, BJP maintains a commanding presence with 78 seats, while independent candidates and representatives from other smaller political groups account for the remaining 15 seats.
Intense Competition and the Kingmaker Factor in Jodhpur
The political landscape in Jodhpur has become remarkably tense, with both major parties closely matched. The re-poll here was centered on booth number 338 of Ward number 50. In this crucial contest, BJP candidate Hemaram Choudhary registered a victory, which pushed his party's seat count up by one. Before this re-poll, the initial election results declared on September 14 had placed both BJP and Congress in a deadlock, with each party securing exactly 44 seats in the 100-ward corporation.
Following the re-polling outcome, BJP now holds 45 seats while Congress remains at 44 seats. The remaining seats in the corporation belong to other groups, including one seat held by the RLP and 10 seats won by independent candidates. With neither of the major political parties holding a clear majority on their own in the 100-member house, the role of these 10 independent councillors has become extremely critical. Both camps are expected to reach out to these independent representatives to secure the numbers required to install their candidate as the next mayor of Jodhpur.
BJP Seals Majority in the Kota Municipal Corporation
In Kota, the political math has tilted in favor of BJP following the re-polling on three specific booths located in Wards 11, 44, and 87. The results of these re-polls saw BJP winning two out of the three contested seats, while Congress secured one. In Ward number 44, BJP candidate Prem Singh emerged victorious, and in Ward number 87, BJP's Pushpa Choudhary won her seat. Congress found success in Ward number 11, where its candidate Kamlesh Kumari won the election.
These results have consolidated BJP's position in the Kota Municipal Corporation. The party's seat tally has increased from 55 to 57 in the 100-ward municipal body, placing it comfortably past the majority mark. Congress managed to increase its strength slightly, moving up from 38 seats to 39 seats, while the remaining 4 seats are held by independent candidates. With 57 seats in its kitty, BJP is well-positioned to elect its nominee as the mayor of Kota without relying on external support or independent alignments.
Congress Leads the Tally in Suket Municipality
The electoral narrative in the smaller Suket municipality, located within the Kota district, has also seen a minor adjustment. The re-poll here was conducted at a single booth in Ward number 4. Congress candidate Mohammad Rafique won this contest, which helped the party increase its strength in the local body. In the 25-ward Suket municipality, Congress has now reached a tally of 11 seats, up from its previous count of 10.
BJP is closely behind with 10 seats of its own, while independent candidates hold the remaining 4 seats. The election for the president of the Suket municipality will also take place on September 25, followed by the election of the vice-president on September 26. Just like in Jodhpur, the final outcome here will depend heavily on how the independent members decide to vote, as neither Congress nor BJP has achieved an absolute majority on their own.
