Jaipur, Sep 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) The ballot boxes have been opened, the results declared and the councillors elected. But in Rajasthan's Urban Local Bodies, the real political battle is now moving into a far more intense phase. With neither the BJP nor Congress securing a clear majority in several municipalities, Independent councillors have become the crucial numbers in the race to form boards. What began as an electoral contest has now turned into a high-stakes struggle over loyalties, numbers and control of the mayoral and chairperson posts.
The language coming from the two political camps is becoming increasingly sharp.
Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday accused the ruling BJP of attempting to influence newly-elected councillors through money and political pressure ahead of the elections for mayors and chairpersons.
Gehlot alleged that BJP members were offering ₹1.5 crore to ₹2.5 crore to newly-elected councillors to bring them into the BJP camp. He further alleged that ministers had been strategically positioned to facilitate what he termed “horse-trading”.
The allegations, which have not been independently established, have added a dramatic new dimension to the post-election contest.
Rajasthan Minister Jawahar Singh Bedham hit back at Gehlot's allegations, turning the issue into another round of confrontation between the ruling BJP and the Congress.
The BJP has rejected the Congress' allegations of horse-trading and misuse of government machinery.
The political significance of the current battle lies in the numbers. The BJP emerged as the largest party in a substantial number of Urban Local Bodies, while the Congress also secured control of several councils. However, in many municipalities, neither party has enough councillors to cross the majority mark on its own.
That is where the Independents enter the picture. A councillor who may have won a single ward can now have an influence far beyond that ward because their support could determine which political camp gets control of an entire municipal board.
The result is a second election of sorts, one being fought not for votes from the public, but for support inside the newly-elected councils.
‘Horse-trading’ has become the political flashpoint as Gehlot's Rs 1.5 crore-to-Rs 2.5 crore allegation has placed money power at the centre of the political debate.
The former Chief Minister questioned the logic of spending such large sums to secure municipal positions and suggested that such practices could undermine the purpose of local governance.
His allegations have been accompanied by broader Congress claims that Independent councillors and Opposition members are facing pressure.
Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra has also alleged that police and administrative machinery is being used to influence councillors.
The BJP has rejected these accusations, with Bedham and other party leaders countering the Congress' charges. The competing claims have yet to be established through independent evidence, but they have already become central to the political battle over board formation.
The intensity of the contest is visible beyond statements and press conferences. In Karauli, an FIR was registered over the alleged abduction of newly-elected Congress councillor Usman Khan.
Several former MLAs were named in the complaint. Police later located Khan. The episode, however, produced an unusual twist. Khan subsequently released a video denying that he had been abducted and said he had returned of his own free will and was not under pressure.
In Degana, Congress workers staged a late-night protest over objections to the nomination process for the Municipal Council chairperson's post. A confrontation followed between protesters and police, and Block Congress President Prakash Kunkuna was arrested.
Congress workers alleged that police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse them. In Pali, Congress MLA Bhimraj Bhati has announced an indefinite hunger strike over the alleged assault on his brother and what he described as the deteriorating law-and-order situation.
The Congress has also raised allegations concerning its chairperson candidate in Duni municipality in Tonk.
Each incident has its own local context. Together, they reflect the heightened political sensitivity surrounding the formation of municipal boards. The BJP's position as the largest party in several urban bodies gives it a significant base from which to negotiate board formation. But where it lacks a majority, it needs additional numbers.
The Congress faces the reverse challenge: Retaining its councillors while attempting to attract Independents in councils where the arithmetic remains open.
The Independents, meanwhile, have suddenly acquired considerable political leverage. This explains why the post-election period has become as politically consequential as the campaign itself. The central question is no longer simply who won the most wards. It is who can assemble the numbers to control the board.
The clock is now ticking. The elections for municipal chairpersons and mayors are approaching, leaving political parties with limited time to consolidate their numbers and prevent defections or shifts in support.
For the BJP, the task is to translate its electoral gains into control of municipal boards.
For the Congress, it is a battle to retain its organisational strength and challenge the BJP where the numbers remain fluid. And for Independents, the next few days could determine whether their ward-level victories translate into a decisive role in municipal governance.
The allegations of money, pressure and “horse-trading” have raised the political temperature. The claims made by both sides will ultimately have to be judged against evidence and official proceedings. But the underlying political arithmetic is clear. Rajasthan's civic elections may be over for the voters. For the political parties, the decisive contest for power is still underway.
Source: IANS
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