Archive · 15 Sep 2026
BJP Holds Rajasthan Ground as Urban Poll Margins Narrow
Rajasthan held elections for its urban local governments across the whole state.
The BJP won control of eight of the 10 largest city councils.
Congress remained close, winning 3,613 wards compared with the BJP’s 4,179.
Independents and other parties also won many seats.
The BJP and Congress received nearly the same number of votes overall.
Jodhpur was especially close because both major parties won 44 seats.
Independent councillors and one RLP councillor may decide who controls Jodhpur.
Congress says the election system favored the BJP, while BJP leaders say the result shows strong support.
Rural voters will vote next in the panchayat elections.
The BJP is set to control eight of Rajasthan’s 10 municipal corporations after the urban local body polls.
Voting took place across 309 urban local bodies, with more than 1.44 crore votes polled.
The BJP won 4,179 wards, compared with 3,613 for Congress and 2,273 for independents and others.
The BJP and Congress were separated by about 99,615 votes, or roughly 0.94 percentage points.
Jodhpur ended in a 44-44 tie between the BJP and Congress, leaving independents and one RLP councillor decisive.
- Who
- The Bharatiya Janata Party, Indian National Congress, independents, and smaller parties contested the elections; Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma led the BJP’s campaign effort.
- What
- Rajasthan held urban local body elections for 309 bodies, with the BJP emerging as the largest party and likely to control eight of 10 municipal corporations.
- When
- The articles do not provide a specific election date; the next phase, involving panchayat elections, is expected to include rural voting.
- Where
- Across Rajasthan’s urban local bodies, including Jaipur, Kota, Udaipur, Bhilwara, Pali, Bharatpur, and Jodhpur.
- Why
- The elections tested urban voter sentiment and the BJP’s organizational strength under the state government’s one-state, one-election formula.
Congress’s Assessment
BJP’s Assessment
Meaning of the result
Congress’s Assessment
Congress said the BJP’s victory was overstated and argued that it could have won more wards without delimitation that it said favored the BJP.
BJP’s Assessment
The BJP presented the results as evidence that it had retained its urban vote bank and performed strongly under Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.
Margin between parties
Congress’s Assessment
Congress emphasized that the parties were separated by less than one percentage point in vote share and that independents had substantially cut into the major parties’ votes.
BJP’s Assessment
The BJP highlighted its lead in wards and its likely control of eight municipal corporations as a successful result.
Political significance
Congress’s Assessment
Congress president Govind Singh Dotasara said upcoming panchayat elections would provide a clearer picture of public support, particularly among rural voters.
BJP’s Assessment
BJP minister Jhabbar Singh Kharra described the urban result as a successful “half-yearly exam” and a semifinal-like performance.
- Urban local bodies
- 309
- Urban votes polled
- More than 1.44 crore
- Municipal corporations
- The BJP is set to form boards in 8 of 10
- Ward results
- BJP 4,179; Congress 3,613; independents and others 2,273
- Vote totals
- BJP 37.35 lakh; Congress 36.35 lakh; independents more than 29 lakh
- BJP-Congress vote gap
- About 99,615 votes, or approximately 0.94 percentage points
- Jodhpur result
- BJP and Congress tied at 44 seats each; 10 independents and one RLP councillor may decide control