Jaipur: Rajasthan’s ‘hybrid system’ for urban local body elections produced a striking outcome in Dholpur municipal council Friday, where Congress, with 27 councillors and just four short of the majority mark, lost the chairperson’s post to independent Girish Kumar Garg, who did not even contest the ward election.The outcome left Congress red-faced, with PCC president Govind Singh Dotasra seeking a report, while questions were also raised within the party over the role of Dholpur MLA Shobharani Kushwaha, who earlier moved from BSP to BJP.Garg was elected unopposed after six candidates withdrew their nominations, including Congress candidate Satyadev Kansana, leaving Garg as the sole candidate. The 60-member civic body has 27 Congress, 11 BJP, 19 independents and three BSP councillors.With 31 needed to form the board, Congress needed the support of just four councillors. Instead, 17 of the 19 independents backed Garg, along with BJP’s 11 and BSP’s three, taking his support to exactly 31 — the majority mark.Kansana said he filed his nomination on Sept 16 without the Congress symbol, which he claimed was never provided to him. “Also, during our stay at Vrindavan, six councillors left the hotel and never returned, leaving us with only 21. In that situation, I had no choice but to withdraw my nomination to avoid the embarrassment of defeat,” he said.Expressing his disappointment, Dotasra said, “The symbol was given in advance, and I am surprised why it was not given to the party candidate. Those responsible will not be spared.”Asked about the role of MLA Kushwaha and her husband, BL Kushwaha, in welcoming Garg, which was posted on his official Facebook page Saturday, Dotasra said, “Everything is being watched, and for every disciplinary violation, there is punishment. Let the elections end.”TOI called and texted Kushwaha for comment, but she failed to respond.BJP election in charge Jagmohan Singh Bhagel said Garg is an influential person in the district and that at least eight Congress councillors supported him because of their personal equations with him. “Three BSP councillors also supported Garg because of his clean image. It was fortunate for Congress that Garg was elected unopposed. Had there been a contest between Garg and the Congress candidate, chances were that Congress would not have even touched double digits,” Bhagel said.Garg has been associated with BJP since 1984 and has held several positions in the party. He was elected councillor in the previous municipal polls. He did not stand for the current municipal polls but directly contested the chairperson’s election as an independent, taking advantage of the ‘hybrid system’.The Dholpur episode has put a fresh spotlight on the controversial hybrid system, which makes a person who does not even contest the ward polls, or someone who lost, eligible to enter the contest for a civic body’s president, chairperson or mayor.Garg told TOI that he considers himself a “people’s chairperson” because he has received support from representatives of all political parties, including the BJP, Congress, BSP and Independents. “I do not need to contest an election under the hybrid model,” he said, adding that anyone who objects to his appointment is free to challenge it in court. “The appointment has been made as per the provisions of the Act and does not violate any provision of law,” he said.
