Rajasthan Civic Polls: Resort Politics Intensifies as BJP and Congress Whisk Candidates to Safe Havens Ahead of Results

Immediately after the conclusion of voting in the Rajasthan local body elections, both major parties have launched preemptive operations to secure candidates in hotels and resorts.

The voting phases for the Rajasthan local body elections have officially concluded, signaling the start of an intense backstage political battle even before a single ballot has been counted. Major political parties, particularly the BJP and Congress, have immediately initiated resort politics to protect their candidates. With the final election results scheduled for declaration on September 14, both camps are taking aggressive measures to prevent rival parties from poaching their prospective winners. From Ajmer and Udaipur to Chittorgarh and Kotputli, candidates are being bundled into buses and transported to secured luxury hotels and isolated resorts.

The rush to secure candidates stems from the highly competitive nature of local board formations, where independent candidates often hold the balance of power. To preempt any attempts at cross-voting or horse-trading, political parties have devised various alibis such as post-election feedback sessions, strategic training camps, and interaction meetings. However, the underlying motive remains clear: keeping candidates closely guarded and isolated from external contact until the crucial election of municipal board chairpersons is completed.

Midnight Movements and Resort Camps in Ajmer
In Ajmer, the cessation of polling immediately triggered frantic activity within the BJP camp, particularly across the Ajmer North and Ajmer South assembly constituencies. Late on Friday night, around 11:00 PM, the party gathered 41 of its candidates from the North constituency at Vijaylaxmi Park. From this meeting point, the candidates were reportedly boarded onto a bus bound for the holy town of Pushkar. Party administrators claimed this sudden relocation was part of a pre-planned three-day training program. Prominent figures managing this operation included BJP District President Ramesh Soni and Mahesh Devnani, who is the son of BJP leader Vasudev Devnani. Concurrently, 37 candidates from the Ajmer South constituency were assembled under the guidance of leader Anita Bhadel. Sensing that independent candidates might become the ultimate powerbrokers in the upcoming board formation, Congress is also actively drafting its counter-strategy to safeguard its own ranks.

Udaipur Nominees Gathered Under Tight Supervision
A similar scene unfolded in Udaipur, where the BJP mobilized all 80 of its candidates representing the city's 80 municipal wards. Following the close of voting, these candidates were directed to assemble at a hotel located on the 100 Feet Road. One by one, nominees arrived at the venue, ostensibly to participate in a feedback session aimed at reviewing ward-level voting patterns. However, many candidates arrived carrying two bags of personal belongings, indicating preparations for an extended stay away from home. By late night, plans were finalized to transport them by bus to an undisclosed location outside Udaipur. To maintain order and monitor the group, the party appointed specific group leaders for small batches of candidates. Despite the defensive maneuvers, BJP City District President Gajpal Singh Rathore expressed immense confidence, claiming that the party would secure victories in more than 60 of the 80 wards and establish its board with an overwhelming majority.

MLA Escorts Candidates to Secret Locations in Kapasan
The defensive maneuvers also extended to the Kapasan municipal body in the Chittorgarh district, where the BJP acted swiftly to secure its candidates. All nominees were initially instructed to gather at the party's local headquarters. To mark the transition into what party members termed an unknown exile, BJP MLA Arjun Lal Jeengar offered traditional auspicious sweets to the candidates. While wishing them success ahead of the official counting day, the legislator expressed strong faith that the final results would favor the party. A massive gathering of local party workers watched as the candidates were sent off to their secret retreat.

Congress Sets Up Camp in Neemrana for Kotputli Candidates
Not to be outdone, Congress has initiated its own extensive lockdown of candidates in the Kotputli region. The party has rounded up 70 of its candidates representing the Viratnagar and Pawta-Pragpura municipalities, moving them to a premium resort located in the Neemrana area. To keep the candidates engaged and content during their isolation, the party leadership is organizing excursions to local tourist spots and prominent religious shrines. The primary objective is to keep the entire group unified and insulated from external influence until the local body president is elected. According to local political insiders, these candidates will not return home even after the election results are announced on September 14. Instead, they will remain at the resort and will only be brought back to their respective constituencies on September 21, the scheduled date for the municipal chairperson elections.

Rising Political Anxiety Ahead of Verdict Day
The end of voting has shifted the primary arena of the Rajasthan civic elections from public campaigning to high-stakes math. Because many municipal boards are expected to see razor-thin margins between the BJP and Congress, independent candidates are likely to dictate which party ultimately gets to appoint the board chairperson. This uncertainty explains the high level of anxiety in both political camps, driving them to protect their candidates from potential poaching and strategic manipulation. While the initial picture of party strengths will emerge with the election results on September 14, the intense resort politics, strategic lockdowns, and political bargaining are set to dominate the state's civic landscape until the final mayoral and chairperson votes are cast on September 21.

What this means for you
The ongoing resort politics following the Rajasthan civic body elections has a direct impact on ordinary citizens and local voters.

• Across India: The practice of resort politics often affects the stability and transparency of local governance, leading to potential delays in civic developmental projects.
• In Rajasthan: Elected representatives are kept away from direct public contact, meaning local residents cannot easily reach their ward leaders to address immediate civic issues until the chairperson elections conclude.

Why this happened
This political lockdown is driven by the urgent need for major parties to secure their numbers and prevent potential defection or poaching of candidates by rivals.

• Fear of Hung Boards: A highly competitive contest between the BJP and Congress suggests that many municipal boards might not yield a clear majority for either party.
• Crucial Role of Independents: Parties falling short of a majority need the support of independent winners to form the local board, which triggers intense horse-trading attempts.
• Targeting the Chairperson Post: Keeping candidates isolated until the municipal president elections on September 21 is seen as the only foolproof way for parties to secure the top administrative positions.

Questions & Answers

1. When will the results of the Rajasthan civic body elections be announced?
The counting of votes and declaration of results for both phases of the civic body elections will take place on September 14.

2. When is the election for the municipal board chairperson scheduled?
The election for the municipal board president and chairperson posts is scheduled for September 21.

3. Where has the BJP sent its candidates from Ajmer North?
The BJP has sent 41 candidates from the Ajmer North constituency to Pushkar, officially describing it as a three-day training program.

4. Why did the BJP assemble its candidates at a hotel in Udaipur?
The BJP assembled all 80 of its Udaipur candidates at a hotel on 100 Feet Road for a post-voting feedback session, before preparing to transport them to an undisclosed location.

5. What is the Congress strategy for its candidates from the Kotputli region?
Congress has housed 70 candidates from Viratnagar and Pawta-Pragpura at a resort in Neemrana and plans to keep them there until the chairperson elections on September 21.

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