Strap: Union Minister Shekhawat, State Minister Patel Suffer Setbacks
BJP’s Kamlesh Purohit
BJP’s Kamlesh Purohit
Jodhpur: Municipal election results declared Monday ended in a deadlock for Jodhpur Municipal Corporation, with BJP and Congress winning 44 wards each in the 100-member civic body, leaving neither side with a majority and throwing the contest for the mayor’s post open to post-poll alliances.Counting was completed for 99 wards, while the result for ward 50 was withheld after an EVM of a certain booth developed a technical snag and votes could not be counted. State Election Commission ordered repolling at the affected booth, scheduled for Sept 16.Independent candidates won 10 seats and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) secured one, making independents a decisive factor in the formation of the next municipal board.The outcome is being seen as a setback for Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who campaigned actively for BJP candidates. Two candidates considered close to him—former deputy mayor Devendra Salecha and Ravindra Singh Mamdoli—lost their wards.BJP’s high-profile push in ex-CM Ashok Gehlot’s home turf also included Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma’s roadshow across 23 wards in the walled city area, but fell short of delivering a sweep, with several of those wards going to Congress or independents.The corporation comprises four assembly constituencies, including Luni, which has eight wards and is represented by Law Minister Jogaram Patel. In this area, outcome of one seat remains pending, with BJP securing only one out of remaining seven. City MLA Atul Bhansali’s constituency, comprising 26 wards, saw BJP win 11 seats. A standout performance came from Sursagar, where MLA Devendra Joshi led BJP to victory with 20 out of 38 wards. In former CM Gehlot’s constituency Sardarpura, Congress won 13 seats, BJP 12 and independents three, with both Gehlot and Shekhawat unable to protect their home wards.Key contests included BJP candidate Nikita defeating former mayor Kunti Deora by 259 votes in ward 99. In ward 40, Devendra Salecha was defeated by Congress candidate and former district president Naresh Chandra Joshi, a notable result as both were seen as potential mayoral contenders. Among other results, Congress’s 21-year-old Saraswati Prajapat won ward 51. Prajapat is currently preparing for the Union Public Service Commission examination.In ward 42, BJP’s former minister Meghraj Lohia beat Congress city president Omkar Verma by 279 votes, a result viewed as a blow to Congress organisation in Jodhpur and to ex-CM Gehlot, who campaigned in the area.BJP’s Vikas Raghwani, a former national-level football player, won in ward 28, adding another layer to the diverse backgrounds of the elected representatives. With the outcome of ward 50 still pending, the political landscape in Jodhpur remains dynamic as both major parties strategise for the next municipal board on Sept 21.
