JAIPUR: The repolling results declared Thursday have cleared the last hurdle for the mayoral contests in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Kota, with elections for the three posts scheduled for Sept 25. With the final numbers in hand, both BJP and Congress are strategising for these crucial contests.In Jaipur, BJP is entering the mayoral race with a stronghold of 78 councillors in a 150-member corporation, comfortably surpassing the majority mark of 76. BJP’s numerical dominance remained solid even though Congress secured victories in all four wards that went to repolling, raising its tally to 57 councillors.Discussions within BJP are now revolving around nominating a candidate from the Vaishya community, with Sunil Kothari and Puneet Karnawat emerging as leading contenders.A senior BJP member said, “Party leadership is considering a Vaishya candidate as part of social balancing. Jaipur city has three Brahmin, two Rajput, one Vaishya and one Dalit MLA. As Vaishya MLA Kalicharan Saraf did not find a place in the cabinet this time, the mayoral seat will be given to appease the community.”Kothari’s name has garnered considerable attention, yet Karnawat’s previous experience as deputy mayor and proximity to Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma also make him a viable option.In contrast, Jodhpur reflects a more competitive landscape. The repolling results ended a prior deadlock, with BJP candidate Hemaram Choudhary securing victory in ward 50 and shifting the balance to 45 seats for BJP, 44 for Congress, one for RLP, and 10 independents in the 100-member corporation.Although BJP holds a lead in Jodhpur, it does not equate to a majority, placing significant importance on the independents’ influence in the mayoral selection. Both parties are not only focused on preserving their current seats but are also actively courting independent councillors.Should BJP manage to consolidate support, possible mayoral candidates in Jodhpur include Meghraj Lohia, Prasan Chand Mehta, and Kamlesh Purohit. Lohia’s claim is bolstered by his win against Congress district president Omkar Verma. Congress, on the other hand, is eyeing a few potential candidates, such as Naresh Joshi and Ganpat Singh Chauhan, who both have substantial backing within the party.Kota, however, presents a clearer picture, with BJP securing 57 of the 100 wards in the wake of Thursday’s repolling, while Congress has 39 and independents account for four. Having won two of the three recontested wards, BJP has comfortably established its majority.Mayor discussion within BJP includes names such as Sunita Sen, Pratibha Suman, Pramila Verma, and Seema Chaudhary. Despite lacking a majority, Congress is also gearing up for the contest with potential candidates including Sunita Suman, Sanjeeda Bano, Nirmala Gurjar, and Tarannum being evaluated.
