Jaipur: Independents emerged as the decisive force in Rajasthan’s urban local body elections, limiting BJP’s gains and keeping Congress competitive across several towns. BJP finished as the single largest party, but the scale of independent victories turned many civic bodies into arenas for post-poll negotiation rather than clear mandates.According to final figures uploaded on the State Election Commission website, results had been declared in 10,235 of 10,244 wards by late Monday, with BJP winning 4,179, Congress 3,613 and independents picking up 2,273 to collectively take third position and establish themselves as potential kingmakers in urban local bodies where neither major party managed to cross the majority mark.At the urban local body level, BJP secured majorities in four municipal corporations – Jaipur, Bhilwara, Kota and Udaipur – and emerged as the single largest party in Alwar. Of the 47 municipal councils, BJP won a clear majority in 11, Congress in six and independents or others in four. In Fatehpur, Congress was tied with an independent candidate.The results give BJP the numerical edge, but not the sweep it sought in the first major statewide urban electoral test for the Bhajan Lal Sharma govt since it came to power in Dec 2023. Sharma campaigned extensively, holding roadshows in Ajmer, Bhilwara, Udaipur, Pali, Bikaner, Bharatpur, Jaipur, Alwar, Jodhpur and Kota. Even so, the party suffered reverses in key pockets and fell short in several prestige contests.The sharpest setbacks came from politically symbolic terrain.Jhalawar and Baran, former chief minister Vasundhara Raje’s strongholds for four decades, slipped out of BJP’s control. Congress won Jhalawar, while AAP made its political debut in the state by claiming control of its maiden municipal body in Baran.Sharma also faced a difficult verdict in his home turf of Bharatpur despite his direct role in candidate selection. Independents won 36 wards there, compared with 20 for BJP and seven for Congress, leaving the ruling party far from a majority.Pali delivered another blow. BJP lost the city to Congress despite its association with BJP state president Madan Rathore, cabinet minister Joraram Kumawat and former Union minister PP Choudhary.The party also suffered setbacks in parts of Shekhawati and eastern Rajasthan. Its performance in Bikaner and Ajmer, where Congress ended BJP’s 36-year hold over the city, has sharpened concerns within the organisation, particularly with panchayat polls likely later this year.Congress, though behind BJP in the overall tally, gained enough ground to make the point that BJP’s urban dominance remained incomplete. State Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra delivered a strong result for the party in his home turf of Sikar and Laxmangarh, strengthening his position within the state unit.In Tonk, Congress managed an edge in Sachin Pilot’s political turf even though the former deputy chief minister largely stayed away from campaigning and ticket distribution. The party also mounted a serious challenge in Jodhpur, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s political base, where Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat campaigned extensively over the past month.The CPM also entered the winners’ list by commanding enough numbers to form the board in Nokha, Bikaner.The strongest signal from the verdict is the independent vote. With 2,273 wards, independents are set to influence control in several bodies where neither BJP nor Congress has a clear majority. Their performance points to the continuing strength of local networks, candidate reputation and ward-level grievances over party loyalty in many towns.The State Election Commission Monday postponed, until further orders, elections for chairperson and deputy chairperson in four urban local bodies after technical glitches in EVMs delayed the declaration of results. The affected bodies include Jaipur, Jodhpur and Kota municipal corporations, and Suket municipality in Kota. During counting, results from some booths could not be released due to EVM malfunctions, leaving the results in these bodies incomplete. The Commission said fresh dates would be announced later.The SEC has ordered repolling at 10 polling stations in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota and Suket. Repolling will be held on Sept 16 from 7am to 6pm, with counting on Sept 17 from 8am at designated centres.The affected booths include five in Jaipur Municipal Corporation, one in Jodhpur Municipal Corporation, three in Kota Municipal Corporation and one in Suket municipality. The Commission said the number of votes affected by the malfunction exceeded the victory margins between the nearest rival candidates, requiring repolling.In Jaipur, BJP crossed the majority mark with 78 seats in the 150-member Jaipur Municipal Corporation. Results of four wards were withheld after EVMs developed technical snags, leaving counting incomplete.Elections were held in two phases, on Sept 9 and 11, across 309 urban local bodies — 10 municipal corporations, 47 municipal councils and 252 municipalities. The increase in the number of bodies since the previous elections followed the creation of new municipalities, expansion and reorganisation of existing urban areas, and delimitation.The results mark a shift from the map that emerged after the previous municipal elections, held between Nov 2019 and Feb 2021, when Rajasthan had 196 urban local bodies with 7,500 wards. After the election of mayors and chairpersons, Congress controlled 123 bodies, BJP 64, and Independents and other parties nine.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, BJP state President Madan Rathore and other leaders celebrate after the party’s victory in the state local body elections at the BJP headquarter in Jaipur on 14 September 2026.
