Jaipur, Sep 22 — The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday attributed its strong performance in Rajasthan's urban local body elections to what it calls the "Bhajanlal model", a campaign strategy focused on grassroot issues, organisational coordination and Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma's direct involvement in candidate selection and campaigning.
According to the BJP officials, Chief Minister Sharma remained actively involved from candidate surveys and ticket distribution to the election campaign, while the party adopted a roadshow-style campaign model in Rajasthan's civic body elections for the first time.
The BJP has highlighted its performance across several divisions, particularly Jodhpur, Bharatpur, Ajmer, Bikaner and Udaipur.
As of the latest results available, the BJP has emerged as the largest party in the election for the top posts in Rajasthan's urban local bodies.
Officially reported figures showed the BJP had formed boards in 197 of 301 bodies for which results had been declared, compared with 94 for the Congress.
Other parties and Independents accounted for the remaining local civic poll bodies.
The BJP has described its performance in Jodhpur division as one of the key highlights of the election.
According to the party's assessment, BJP-backed candidates have secured control of 35 of the 41 urban local bodies in the division, while the Congress has formed boards in five.
The BJP has cited this as an 87 per cent success rate.
The result is significant because Jodhpur is traditionally associated with former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
The BJP has attributed its performance in the division to booth-level preparation, organisational coordination and a focus on local issues.
In Pali Municipal Corporation, the Congress emerged as the largest party in the Councillor elections with 29 seats against the BJP's 21, while Independents won 15.
However, BJP candidate Namita Bubakiya won the Mayoral election with support from outside the party's Councillor strength.
The Mayoral election in Jodhpur Municipal Corporation is scheduled for September 25.
The broader election results in Bharatpur also produced an unusual political arithmetic.
In Bharatpur Municipal Corporation, Independents won 36 of the 65 wards, crossing the majority mark on their own, while the BJP won 20 and Congress seven.
Despite having fewer Councillors than the Independents, the BJP's Anuradha Singh was elected Mayor unopposed.
The BJP has also highlighted its performance in Bharatpur division, which includes Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma's home district.
According to the party's division-wise assessment, the BJP formed boards in 24 of 32 urban local bodies, while Congress secured seven.
In Ajmer division, the BJP has claimed success in 36 of 52 bodies, putting its success rate at around 69 per cent.
Ajmer Municipal Corporation was among the closely watched contests. Although Congress emerged as the largest party in the Councillor election, BJP's Anamika Sharma was elected Mayor with support from the Independents.
The BJP has also highlighted its performance in Bikaner and Udaipur divisions.
According to the party's figures, BJP formed boards in 24 of 37 bodies in Bikaner division, compared with 10 for Congress.
In Udaipur division, BJP formed boards in 18 of 28 bodies, while Congress secured nine.
At the municipal corporation level, however, Congress retained Bikaner. Congress candidate Anil Kalla defeated BJP's Surendra Singh Shekhawat 50-30 in the Mayoral election.
In Udaipur, BJP's Paras Singhvi defeated Congress candidate Poonam Kanwar by 55 votes to 25.
The BJP has reported a lead over Congress in both Kota and Jaipur divisions.
In Kota division, the party says it formed boards in 15 of 28 bodies, compared with 10 for Congress.
The elections for Kota Municipal Corporation and Suket Municipality are scheduled for September 25.
In Jaipur division, BJP formed boards in 48 of 91 bodies, according to the party's assessment, while Congress secured 40.
The Jaipur Municipal Corporation Mayoral election is also scheduled for September 25, when BJP's Sunil Kothari and Congress's Sunita Mawar will face each other.
The BJP has attributed its performance to a combination of local-issue-based campaigning and organisational management.
The BJP said Chief Minister Sharma remained involved throughout the election process, from surveys for candidate selection and ticket distribution to campaigning and coordination with workers.
The BJP also pointed to the Chief Minister's direct participation in campaigns in major cities and the coordination between the government and party organisation as key elements of its strategy.
BJP leaders have described the results as an endorsement of the Bhajan Lal Sharma-led BJP government's development and governance agenda.
State BJP President Madan Rathore said the results reflected public support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision and the work of the state government.
While the BJP has emerged as the leading party in the election for civic body heads, the results also highlight the importance of Independents and smaller parties.
In the Councillor elections, BJP won 4,179 of the 10,235 declared wards, compared with 3,613 for Congress and 2,273 for Independents.
The BJP's statewide vote share was 35.18 per cent against 34.24 per cent for Congress, a difference of 0.94 percentage points. Independents have played a decisive role in several municipal bodies, including Pali, Ajmer, Alwar and Bharatpur. Their support has affected the formation of boards and the outcome of Mayoral elections in multiple places.
The elections for the remaining major posts, including the Mayoral contests in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Kota, are scheduled for September 25, meaning the final political picture of Rajasthan's urban local bodies is still evolving.