Jaipur, Sep 14 (IANS) In a major shake-up, Congress has managed to retain control of Jhalawar, the stronghold of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, as results for Rajasthan’s 47 Municipal Councils and 252 Municipalities have started coming in.

In the Jhalawar Municipal Council, the Congress party has won 29 of the 45 wards. The BJP secured 13 wards, Independents won two, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won one.

Also, Independent candidates have pulled off a major upset in the Bharatpur Municipal Corporation election, winning 36 of the total 65 wards and emerging as the dominant political force. The BJP secured 20 wards, while the Congress won seven, the BSP one, and the RLP one.

The BJP has secured a majority in the Barmer Municipal Council after 15 years. The party won 29 of the 55 wards.

The Aam Aadmi Party has emerged as a surprise winner in the Baran Municipal Council, securing a clear majority with victories in 31 of the 60 wards. The Congress party won 18 wards, the BJP nine, and Independents two.

In the Churu Municipal Council, the BJP has won 30 of the 60 wards, while Congress secured 24 and Independent candidates won six.

The BJP is leading in the Nagaur Municipal Council, although former district president Ramniwas Sankhla suffered defeat in Ward 7. In Ward 10, Praveen Solanki of the Congress, son of former chairman Kriparam Solanki, won the election. Praveen’s maternal uncle and former chairman, Mangilal Bhati, had supported the BJP candidate.

Yash Jaldhari of the BJP, grandson of former MLA Ratanlal Jaldhari, has won from Ward 11 of the Sikar Municipal Council.

In the Jaisalmer Municipal Council, results for 21 wards have been declared so far. BJP candidates have won 12 wards, while Congress has secured six, and Independents three.

The results will determine the political fate of more than 35,000 candidates contesting elections across Rajasthan’s Municipal Councils and Municipalities.

Voting for the urban local body elections was conducted in two phases on September 9 and 11. The first phase recorded a voter turnout of 76.41 per cent in 162 urban bodies, while 71.69 per cent turnout was registered in the second phase in 147 urban bodies.

–IANS

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