Representational  |  Photo Credit: IANS
Declaring the results for recent elections for the Panchayat Samiti members in four Rajasthan’s districts, the state Election Commission on Tuesday said that 278 Congress candidates and 165 BJP candidates have won the polls.
Other winners in the elections for 568 members in 30 Panchayat Samitis in the four districts — Baran, Kota, Ganganagar and Karauli — included 97 independents, 14 BSP candidates, and 13 of CPI(M), the poll panel said.
With the ruling Congress dominating the panchayat elections, Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra described the poll results as ‘encouraging’ and claimed that his party will 20 out of 30 panchayat samitis’ Pradhan seats.
BJP state president Satish Poonia too hailed the result saying that it was a splendid performance by any opposition party in the Panchayati Raj elections in the state’s history.
Elections for Zila Parishad members too had been held in these four districts, where counting was done on Tuesday at the respective district headquarters.
According to the information available on the website of the Commission, voting was held for 106 members in the four Zila Parishads. Of these, Congress has won 59 and BJP 35 seats. Full results are yet to come.
Rajasthan’s four districts — Baran, Kota, Ganganagar and Karauli had gone to polls for the elections of Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti members.
The elections were held in three phases in which a total of 2,251 candidates had tried their luck. Of these, 1,946 candidates were in the fray for Panchayat Samiti members and 305 were in the fray for Zila Parishad members.
Three out of 106 Zila Parishad members and six out of 568 Panchayat Samiti members were elected unopposed.
“The results of Panchayati Raj elections in four districts are encouraging for us. In more than 20 out of 30 panchayat samitis, the Congress is going to make its pradhans.” Dotasra said in a tweet.
This victory is a victory of people’s faith in the Congress party and the good governance by its government. Many thanks and congratulations to all the voters and party workers for this,” he added.
BJP state president Poonia too said this is a splendid performance of any opposition party in Panchayati Raj elections in the history of the state.
He said the Congress had Zila Parishad boards in these four districts, but now the BJP has snatched two Zila Parishad boards from Congress with the blessings of the people.
‘The BJP’s resounding victory in Kota and Baran Zilla Parishad elections will give a big boost to the BJP from Hadoti division to entire Rajasthan,’ he said.
He said out of total 33 Zila Pramukhs in the state, 17 are from BJP and now with two more Zila Parishad boards are formed in Kota division, BJP will have 19 Zila Pramukhs.
Poonia said the BJP has also performed brilliantly in the Panchayat Samiti elections.
‘The results of Panchayati Raj elections in all the phases so far are against the ruling Congress government. It is clear from this that the public has given a mandate against the Congress government in coming times,’ he said.