Cong pulls ahead of BJP in Rajasthan urban body polls

BJP also fell behind Independents, who won 596 wards. (Representational)

Following the setback in Panchayati Raj polls, the Congress in Rajasthan on Sunday managed a good performance in the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) elections with wins in 619 wards.

In the results declared Sunday for 1,775 wards of 50 ULBs in 12 districts, Congress won 619 wards, compared to the BJP’s 548.

BJP also fell behind Independents, who won 596 wards. Other parties in the fray included the Bahujan Samaj Party (7), Communist Party of India (2), CPI [Marxist] (2) and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) (1).

In the recent Panchayati Raj polls, BJP had managed to elect Zila Pramukhs in 12 Zila Parishad while Congress managed just five Zila Pramukhs.

Addressing a press conference Sunday evening, Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra said the results indicate that the BJP is growing “away” from the urban electorate, falling way behind Independent votes.

He said that of the total 50 ULBs — 43 Nagar Palika and 7 Nagar Parishad — “Congress has won a majority in 17 and as far as Independents are concerned, most of them are Congress-backed” and claimed that Congress will be successful in forming a Board in over 30 of the 50 ULBs which went to polls.

Asked about the high number of Independents winning the polls, Dotasra said that “with Congress being the ruling party, every second candidate was hopeful of a party ticket and in its absence, they contested as an Independent.”

He said that as part of Congress’ strategy, it fielded Independents in several places — rather than distributing symbols — such as in Bharatpur, “and this strategy succeeded”.

BJP leaders did not comment on the losses.