Jaipur, Sep 10 (IANS): After voting concluded for the first phase of Rajasthan’s civic body elections at 6 pm on Wednesday, another phase of the election began behind the scenes: the political race to keep candidates together until the results are declared and the crucial elections for municipal presidents are held.
Within hours of the end of polling, the BJP and Congress candidates in several towns began receiving calls from their respective party offices. They were asked to report to the offices with their bags and essential belongings. From there, many candidates were transported to hotels or undisclosed “safe” locations.
The exercise, commonly referred to in political circles as “badabandi”, is to prevent defections, horse-trading and last-minute shifts in loyalties before the counting of votes and subsequent elections for chairpersons and mayors.
In Barmer, the strategy took a dramatic turn. At around 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, an attempt was reportedly made to take Congress candidate Parsmal Mali, contesting from Ward 48, away in a car in the Berion Ka Bas area of the city. After receiving information, the police reached the spot.
ASP Nitesh Arya reportedly attempted to take the candidate to the police station.
However, the candidate’s brother, Thakuraram Mali, and his supporters clashed with the police team. The incident added a dramatic dimension to the post-poll political activity, with allegations surrounding the movement of candidates emerging soon after polling ended.
In Kota district’s Ramganj Mandi Municipality, Education Minister Madan Dilawar summoned all 38 BJP candidates to the party office at around 9:30 p.m. The candidates, accompanied by party functionaries, boarded a bus and left for Baran. From there, they are scheduled to travel to Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh for a visit to the Ram Temple.
The Congress, meanwhile, has begun gathering its candidates at a hotel, indicating that both major parties are preparing to keep their respective camps intact.
In Bhilwara, the BJP has also moved quickly after polling ended in all 70 wards of the Municipal Corporation. According to party sources, all 70 BJP candidates have been called to the party office. From there, they are likely to be taken to an undisclosed location. Candidates began arriving at the office with clothes and other essential belongings in their bags, following instructions from the party leadership.
Congress had fielded authorised candidates in 53 wards. Its candidates had not received similar instructions from party officials at the time of reporting. The presence of 154 independent candidates has added another layer of complexity to the Bhilwara contest. Some of these independents are directly contesting BJP and Congress candidates, making the post-result numbers game particularly significant.
In Chittorgarh, BJP candidates reached the party office with their supporters soon after polling ended. They held discussions with party officials before leaving in separate vehicles with their essential belongings. Although the parties have not publicly described the movement as “camping”, political activity on the ground suggests that preparations are already underway to keep candidates together and maintain direct contact with the leadership until the next stage of the election process.
Mahwa in Dausa district has also witnessed intense post-poll political activities. After the voting ended, a BJP candidate arrived at the party office carrying a bag following a call from the leadership.
The candidate subsequently boarded a bus and left for Jaipur. Mahwa MLA Rajendra Meena also boarded a bus along with 35 BJP candidates and left for Jaipur.
The Congress has invited its candidates to a private hotel on Hindaun Road. The party is attempting to keep its candidates together while simultaneously preparing its strategy for the election of the municipal president.
Meanwhile, former municipal president Vijay Bohra has reportedly left for Delhi with 22 independent candidates. The movement of candidates immediately after polling is not merely about accommodation or travel. It reflects the importance of the numbers that will emerge after counting.
In Rajasthan’s local body elections, winning the maximum number of wards does not necessarily end the political battle.
The subsequent election of the municipal president or chairperson can become a separate contest, particularly when neither BJP nor Congress secures a clear majority. This is where independents can become crucial.
Both BJP and Congress are, therefore, trying to ensure that their winning candidates remain firmly within their respective camps. Independents who hold the balance of power could become the focus of intense negotiations once the results are declared.
For now, however, the political arithmetic remains hidden behind closed doors. Polling has ended. The numbers are yet to come. But the numbers game has already begun
