With Gen Z being the flavour of the season, even the results of the Rajasthan civic body elections have not remained untouched by the power of the youth.

A number of candidates in their early twenties have won councillor seats in different parts of the state across parties.

In the state capital, 21-year-old Congress candidate Faiz Hasan won from ward 71 of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation. Hasan polled 5,426 votes, defeating independent candidate Mohammad Salim, who secured 5,256 votes. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Nisha Gaur finished third.

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Sanitation, roads in focus

Faiz told reporters, “The people of my ward have shown their trust in me and I will fulfill my duty. Work on the promises that I made during elections, about better sanitation problem and road construction, will begin soon. I will work for the people of my ward.”

Another 21-year-old who has come out shining is Neha Sharma from Alwar’s Thanagazi municipality. Aged 21 years and four months, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate defeated the Congress candidate by 101 votes to clinch ward 6. Her winning margin is highest among BJP candidates in the municipality, according to the party.

Thanagazi recently shot into limelight after scores of students at a local school began a protest following a roof collapse, catching the attention of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) last month.

Faiz Hasan won from ward 71 of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation

Currently, Neha is sequestered around Gurgaon. Her mother Pooja Sharma told that the family is very happy and proud of their daughter.


“She has worked day and night to convince the people of the ward to vote for her so that she is able to serve them for five years,” Pooja added.

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Sharma had worked as a journalist for nearly four years with local news organisations before entering electoral politics.

Another Gen Z winner is 22-year-old Suman Bhati who has won from ward 72 in Jaipur.

‘Will set up libraries’

“There are many kacchi basti (slums) in my area. I have promised their residents that after becoming a councillor, I will develop three public libraries and organise civil defence classes for the women. My focus will be on the overall development of my ward,” Bhati said.

She is not the first person in her family to have entered politics. Her husband Ramesh used to be involved in Rajasthan University student politics and was a spokesperson of the Congress’s student wing – the NSUI.

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Congress’s Suman Bhati, who has won from ward 72 in Jaipur, poses with husband Ramesh and supporters

Congress spokesperson Swarnim Chaturvedi said the party has given tickets to at least 4-5 Gen Z candidates in the civic body polls.

The minimum age to contest a municipal corporation election is 21.

With civic bodies playing a direct role in issues such as roads, sanitation, water supply and local infrastructure, the performance of these newly elected young councillors will now be closely watched.