Jaipur, August 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Congress on Monday received a significant boost in the Bhawani Mandi Municipal Council election campaign after senior BJP leader and former council chairman Ramlal Gurjar joined the party along with his daughter-in-law and former chairperson Pinky Gurjar and former MP Sugna Gurjar.
The political shift came on the final day of the nomination process and is expected to influence the electoral calculations in the Rajasthan municipal council, where the BJP and Congress are facing competition from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and independent candidates.
Chetan Gehlot, vice-president of the Dagg Congress Assembly constituency, Block Congress president Rod Singh Parmar and Municipal Congress president Vinay Astoliya welcomed the three leaders into the Congress by presenting them with party scarves.
Ramlal Gurjar said he had remained associated with the BJP for nearly four decades. Explaining his decision to switch parties, he said he joined the Congress after receiving respect and affection from its members.
The Bhawani Mandi Municipal Council has 45 wards, with more than 250 candidates expected to contest the election. Several wards are likely to see triangular or four-cornered contests, potentially making it difficult for either of the two principal parties to secure a clear majority.
Nine wards have emerged as particularly significant because their results could prove crucial in determining the numbers needed to form the next municipal board. Among those drawing particular attention are Wards 4, 12, 14, 17, 26 and 33.
Both the BJP and Congress are focusing on strong candidates in these constituencies. The parties had not fully disclosed their candidate lists by Monday, with discussions over several tickets continuing until the closing stages of nominations.
The delayed release of final lists is also being viewed as an attempt to limit rebellion and dissent among ticket aspirants. Those denied nominations could enter the contest as independents, potentially changing the equations in several wards once party symbols are allotted.
The BJP will seek to retain a tally close to its previous performance, while the Congress faces the task of changing the political arithmetic of the outgoing board. AAP candidates and independents could become important if neither major party wins a clear majority, potentially making smaller groups and independent councillors crucial to government formation.
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