Ahead of voting in the 2026 Rajasthan civic elections, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have registered their initial victories as three ward councillor candidates secured unopposed elections. Following the mandatory official scrutiny of nomination papers filed by various contenders, the application forms of opponent candidates in three separate wards were rejected due to technical flaws and eligibility disqualifications. With no remaining competitors in the fray, two BJP nominees and one Congress candidate are set to assume office without facing a ballot. While the State Election Commission is yet to issue official victory certificates, the absence of any opposing candidates renders their election a mathematical certainty.
BJP Secures Early Victories in Bikaner and Dungarpur
In Ward 69 of the Bikaner Municipal Corporation, BJP candidate Leela Gahlot has emerged as the sole contender. The nomination of her primary opponent, Congress candidate Mamata, was disqualified during verification owing to an authorization symbol anomaly. Prior to receiving the official Congress symbol, Mamata had initially filed her nomination representation under the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP). Although Congress subsequently assigned her the party ticket, RLP did not provide an official authorization symbol. Lacking the necessary party documentation, election officials cancelled her nomination form, leaving Leela Gahlot as the only valid candidate in Ward 69 and guaranteeing her election.
Similarly, the BJP secured its first seat in the Dungarpur Municipal Council prior to polling day. Returning officers inspected a total of 196 nomination papers submitted across all 40 wards of the Dungarpur council in the presence of representatives from various political parties. During scrutiny, the nomination of Congress candidate Ganesh Katara from Ward 23 was rejected due to pending criminal cases against him. Following Katara's disqualification, BJP candidate Manan Kalasua remained the lone candidate in Ward 23. Manan Kalasua is the son of Amrit Kalasua, the former and outgoing chairperson of the BJP in the council. With Katara out of the race, Manan Kalasua's victory stands assured ahead of the formal announcement.
Congress Claims Victory in Bundi’s Hindoli Ward
The Congress party also opened its account prior to polling in the Hindoli Municipal Board of Bundi district. In Ward 20 of Hindoli, the contest was originally expected to be a direct fight between Congress candidate Hanuman Vyas and BJP candidate Jitendra Singh. However, during the scrutiny process, BJP nominee Jitendra Singh's nomination paper was rejected due to errors in the paperwork. Because only two candidates had filed nominations for Ward 20, the rejection of the BJP candidate's papers left Hanuman Vyas as the single remaining contestant, confirming his unopposed election. Official winning declarations from the election authorities remain pending for all three wards in Bikaner, Dungarpur, and Hindoli.
Mass Rejections Across State Spark Political Allegations
Across Rajasthan, the nomination scrutiny phase for the 2026 municipal body elections resulted in the rejection of thousands of application forms for failing to meet statutory requirements. The disqualified applicants comprise candidates representing the BJP and Congress as well as numerous independent aspirants. In wards where more than one valid candidate remains in the fray after rejections, polling will take place as scheduled by the election authorities.
The widespread rejection of nomination papers has triggered political controversy across the state. Congress leaders have alleged administrative irregularities and government-level interference during the scrutiny process. The opposition party claimed that in several local bodies, including Bhilwara, official party authorization symbols failed to reach their candidates before the filing deadline, leading directly to the rejection of their papers. Protesting against these rejections and delayed symbol deliveries, Congress workers held demonstrations and raised severe objections in multiple districts.
