Jaipur: Shri Rajput Karni Sena president Mahipal Singh Makrana Tuesday said that 27% of votes across all urban local bodies in the state were cast in favour of Karni Sena-backed independent candidates to protest the controversial UGC Regulations 2026. Makrana said that an 800-km march across Rajasthan led to massive support for anti-UGC campaign, which turned into votes. Hhe organisation had campaigned ahead of the ULB polls to boycott both BJP and Congress and urged voters to support those candidates who gave a written undertaking backing the rollback of UGC Regulations 2026.
Shri Rajput Karni Sena president Mahipal Singh Makrana addressing media on Tuesday
Shri Rajput Karni Sena president Mahipal Singh Makrana addressing media on Tuesday
“Till now, independent candidates have not won in any election on such a large scale. This time they have made inroads into BJP strongholds like Bikaner, Pali, chief minister’s home district Bharatpur, Jodhpur, Ajmer. How is the govt claiming this as a big victory, when all their major leaders from Union to state govt could not prove complete victory in their home turfs,” said Makrana, while addressing media Tuesday.Makrana said independent candidates would decide who forms the board in five of the state’s 10 municipal corporations.“Independent candidates backed by us received a vote share of 27.38% across Rajasthan. In places where we could not find suitable independent candidates, we campaigned among the public to use NOTA which also got 1.5% of the votes. Even now, if the govt refuses to take us seriously, we will show them their level of seriousness towards public works,” Makrana said.
