Cong Holds Tonk Fort, BJP Sweeps Five Municipalities; Deoli, Niwai Face Hung Boards
Jaipur: The civic body election results in Rajasthan’s Tonk district have redrawn local political equations, with the Congress retaining control of the Tonk Municipal Council, while the BJP emerged dominant across five other municipalities, underlining its growing footprint in the district.
The Congress won 32 of the 59 wards declared in Tonk, securing a clear majority and retaining control of the municipal council. The result is being viewed as a significant political boost for former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, whose Assembly constituency is Tonk. The BJP won 19 wards, while 8 seats went to independents.
The council has 60 wards, but no election was held in Ward 2, leaving 59 wards for which results were declared.
While the Congress maintained its grip on Tonk, the BJP registered decisive victories in Malpura, Todaraisingh, Lambaharisingh, Diggi and Dooni.
The BJP secured clear majorities in these five municipalities, making the formation of their municipal boards largely straightforward.
The results are being seen as a major political gain for the BJP in the district. The victories in Lambaharisingh, Diggi and Dooni are particularly significant as these bodies have recently been upgraded from gram panchayats to municipalities.
The BJP’s strong performance in its first municipal elections has strengthened its position in the newly created urban bodies. Except for Dooni, the other three bodies are located in the Malpura Assembly constituency, represented by Rajasthan Water Supply Minister Kanhaiyalal Chaudhary.
The political picture remains uncertain in Deoli, where the BJP fell just one seat short of the majority mark. Of the 35 wards, the BJP won 17, Congress secured 8, and independents won 10. Since 18 councillors are required to form the board, the BJP will need support from at least one independent councillor.
The independents have therefore emerged as the key players in the board formation. While the BJP is expected to approach them, the Congress could also attempt to influence the final equation.
In Niwai, the Congress emerged as the single largest party but failed to secure a majority. As a result, the party’s lead in seats alone will not be enough to guarantee control of the municipal board.
Independent councillors are once again expected to play a crucial role, with both major parties likely to explore possibilities to secure the numbers needed for board formation.
The BJP has also come close to the majority mark in Piplu, making independent councillors potentially decisive here as well.
Overall, the Tonk civic election results present a mixed picture. The Congress has successfully defended its political stronghold in Tonk, while the BJP has made significant gains across five municipalities.
With Deoli, Niwai and Piplu still dependent on post-election political negotiations, the focus now shifts to the independent councillors whose support could determine who controls these municipal boards.
(IANS)
