Daijiworld Media Network - Jaipur

Jaipur, Sep 14: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a strong lead in Rajasthan’s urban local body elections, while the Congress has put up a strong fight in key cities including Pali, Bikaner and Ajmer.

Counting is underway for elections to 309 urban local bodies across Rajasthan, covering 10 municipal corporations, 51 municipal councils and 248 municipalities. The polls were held in two phases on September 9 and 11, with results being declared on Monday.

The BJP was leading in several major urban bodies, including Jaipur, while Congress was ahead in Ajmer, Bikaner and Pali municipal corporations in the afternoon trends. Independents were also playing an important role in several corporations where neither major party was close to a clear majority.

In Jaipur, the BJP has registered a decisive performance. The party won 95 of the 150 wards, while the Congress secured 43 wards, according to the latest reported results.

In Ajmer, Congress was leading in 37 of the 80 wards against the BJP’s 32, with Independents holding 11 wards. In Pali, Congress had won 29 wards compared with 21 for the BJP, while 15 Independents were also in the fray for control of the civic body.

The results are being closely watched as a test of the BJP government’s popularity in urban Rajasthan and could influence the political strategies of both parties ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections.