The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday clinched the closely contested mayoral posts in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Kota, with its candidates defeating their Congress rivals through a combination of BJP councillors, independents and additional support. The results came amid clashes, protests, and cross-voting.

In Jaipur, BJP’s Sunil Kothari was elected mayor after securing 89 votes against Congress candidate Sunita Mawar, who received 60 votes. Kothari secured the support of 11 councillors from outside the BJP, taking his tally comfortably past the majority mark.

Soon after his victory, Kothari said: “Our priority is to make life easier for the people of Jaipur. We will carry forward the history and tradition. We will build a city that can give wings to dreams”.

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The election in Jaipur was preceded by a protest by Congress leaders after Jaipur Congress city president Sunil Sharma and party MLAs Amin Kagzi and Rafiq Khan were denied entry into the corporation premises. The leaders sat in protest outside the corporation but eventually called it off.

The BJP’s victory in Jaipur came despite the party not having an outright majority in the corporation. The election of deputy mayor is scheduled for Saturday.

In Jodhpur, BJP’s Prasannachand Mehta defeated Congress candidate Rajendra Singh Solanki by six votes in the 100-member municipal corporation. Mehta secured 53 votes against Solanki’s 47. The BJP had 45 councillors of its own and the support of seven independents, while the Congress had 44 councillors and the backing of three independents.

Congress fielded Solanki, a former chairman of the Jodhpur Development Authority and a member of the Mali community, after adopting what it described as a hybrid strategy to attract support from councillors belonging to the same community. The strategy, however, did not translate into additional votes for the Congress candidate. The BJP retained the support of its councillors and independents while also receiving one additional vote.

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After his election, Mehta said his immediate focus would be on street lighting, cleanliness and road repairs before Diwali. He also said the selection of the deputy mayor would be made according to the party’s instructions.

The Jodhpur election was followed by a clash between BJP and Congress supporters on Peeli Tanki Road, around a kilometre from the municipal corporation. The confrontation began when BJP workers allegedly stopped a vehicle carrying Congress workers and escalated into a clash, prompting the police to intervene.

In Kota, BJP’s Anusuiya Goswami was elected mayor after securing 65 votes, defeating Congress candidate Sunita Suman, who received 35 votes. The BJP had 57 councillors and also had the support of two of the four independents. The Congress had 39 councillors, but its candidate received only 35 votes, indicating cross-voting within the party.

Goswami, who became emotional after taking her seat in the mayor’s office, promised to make the position approachable, saying the public can meet her directly with their grievances.

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The BJP also won the presidential election in the 25-ward Suket Municipality in Kota district. BJP’s Jitendra Chopra defeated Congress candidate Umardin by a single vote, securing 13 votes against 12. The council comprises 11 Congress councillors, 10 BJP councillors and four independents.

The three elections are part of the wider municipal electoral exercise in Rajasthan, in which the BJP has emerged with control of several urban local bodies. The mayoral contests in the state’s major cities also saw attempts by both parties to consolidate councillors and secure the support of independents, with cross-voting and allegations of political pressure featuring in some contests.