Jaipur: The ruling BJP has suffered a string of setbacks in Rajasthan’s urban local body elections, losing ground in several traditional strongholds and the home turfs of its senior members.BJP, however, said it is in a position to form boards in 65% of Rajasthan’s 309 urban local bodies, compared with 31% in 2020 under the previous Congress govt. In municipal corporations, its share is projected to rise from 50% to 60% on its own and to 80-90% with the support of independents. In municipal councils, it expects its share to rise from 27% to 42% on its own and to 83% with independents’ support. In municipalities, BJP expects to increase its share from 31% to over 60%.The party statement read, “In Jaipur and Bharatpur divisions, BJP’s board share is projected to rise from 17% to over 60% and from 6% to over 60%, respectively. In six districts where it had no board last time, BJP is now set to form boards in 29 ULBs — seven in Dausa, six in Bharatpur, five each in Bundi and Hanumangarh, four in Karauli and two in Dholpur.”The biggest blows for BJP came in Ajmer, where Congress made strong inroads after 36 years, Bharatpur, the hometown of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, and Jhalawar, a stronghold of former CM Vasundhara Raje. Pali, the turf of BJP state president Madan Rathore, and Jodhpur, the home turf of Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, also delivered setbacks for the ruling party.In Bharatpur Municipal Corporation (BMC), BJP won only 20 of the 65 wards, while independents secured 36 seats, crossing the majority mark on their own. Raje’s stronghold Jhalawar delivered another major setback, with BJP winning just 13 of the 45 wards.In Ajmer, BJP won 32 of the 80 wards, while 11 independents also emerged victorious. “The result assumes significance as Ajmer has traditionally been a strong BJP organisational base and is home to several senior party members, including Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani. The RSS’s Chittorgarh province headquarters is also located in Ajmer,” said a BJP party source.The setback is significant for BJP state president Rathore, whose leadership faced its first major urban electoral test after the party’s organisational campaign in the state. In Pali, BJP won only 21 of the 65 wards, while 15 independents emerged as a decisive bloc. “The results have put the BJP’s organisational strength and senior leadership under scrutiny,” said a party worker.The setbacks extended to the turfs of several other seniors, including Union minister Bhupendra Yadav and Rajasthan forest minister Sanjay Sharma in Alwar, and Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal in Bikaner, with the party failing to secure a clear path to board formation in their respective areas.“Ministers Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Madan Dilawar and Zoraram Kumawat also saw BJP lose in the wards where they cast their votes,” said a party source.
