Major political upset in Rajasthan as senior BJP leader quits party, joins Congress with daughter-in-law

Jaipur: The Congress has delivered a major political setback to the BJP amid the election campaign for the Bhawani Mandi Municipal Council. On the final day of the nomination process, senior BJP leader and former chairman Ramlal Gurjar left the party and joined the Congress. His daughter-in-law and former chairperson Pinky Gurjar, along with former MP Sugna Gurjar, also joined the Congress.

Chetan Gehlot, vice-president of the Dagg Congress Assembly constituency; Block Congress president Rod Singh Parmar; and Municipal Congress president Vinay Astoliya welcomed the leaders into the party by presenting them with Congress scarves. Ramlal Gurjar said he had been associated with the BJP for nearly 40 years.

He said he decided to join the Congress because he received respect and affection from the party.

The entry of three prominent political figures from Rajasthan into the Congress just ahead of the election is expected to alter the local political equations in Bhawani Mandi.

Bhawani Mandi Municipal Council has 45 wards, and the election is expected to witness a multi-cornered contest.

Apart from the BJP and Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party and independent candidates are also expected to be in the fray. Several wards could see triangular or four-cornered contests. This could make it difficult for either of the two major parties to secure a clear majority.

The key question is whether the political arithmetic of the previous municipal board will remain intact or change after the elections.

Nine wards have emerged as particularly important in the election. Their significance has increased because the results could play a crucial role in determining the numbers required to form the municipal board.

Both the BJP and Congress are focussing on fielding strong candidates in these wards, candidates who can not only win their respective seats but also help strengthen their party’s position during the board formation process.

Among the key wards attracting attention are Ward Nos. 4, 12, 14, 17, 26 and 33. Monday is the final day for filing nominations. The BJP and Congress have not yet completely revealed their candidate lists, with discussions over several tickets continuing until the last moment.

The parties are reportedly adopting a strategy of delaying the release of the final lists to minimise the possibility of rebellion and internal dissent.

The electoral picture in several wards is expected to become clearer once party symbols are distributed.

Several candidate equations could change during the final hours of the nomination process. Ticket aspirants who fail to secure nominations from their preferred parties may decide to enter the contest as independents, potentially making the contests more interesting and unpredictable.

More than 250 candidates are expected to contest the 45 wards of Bhawani Mandi Municipal Council this time.

With the BJP, Congress, AAP and independent candidates in the fray, several wards could witness multi-cornered contests.

In wards where the BJP and Congress were expected to face each other directly, strong third or fourth-party candidates could significantly alter the electoral equation. If the BJP manages to maintain a seat tally close to its previous performance, it could find it easier to form the board. The Congress, meanwhile, faces the challenge of overturning the political arithmetic of the previous municipal board.

The AAP and other candidates could also play a crucial role. If they win enough wards to prevent either the BJP or Congress from securing a clear majority, their support could become important during the formation of the municipal board.

In such a scenario, smaller parties and independent councillors could potentially emerge as the ‘kingmakers’ in Bhawani Mandi.

IANS