Jaipur, Sep 26 (IANS): The BJP’s Vivek Rajvanshi was elected unopposed as Deputy Mayor of the Kota Municipal Corporation on Saturday, while Congress candidate Vinita Poonia was elected Chairperson of the Khatushyamji Municipality in Sikar district.
In Kota, the BJP candidate was elected without a contest after the Congress did not field a candidate for the Deputy Mayor’s post.
Rajvanshi said after his election that he would work towards improving civic services and making Kota a cleaner and greener city. Rajvanshi, who has around 27 years of experience, said he would work in line with the vision for Kota articulated by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
Deputy Mayor elections are being conducted in the three major municipal corporations of Jaipur, Jodhpur and Kota.
In Jaipur, the BJP’s candidate Saroj Kanwar is facing a Congress challenger. Congress leaders have raised the possibility of cross-voting, while Rajasthan Urban Development and Housing Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra has said BJP councillors are united and disciplined and that there would be no cross-voting.
The civic elections follow the recently completed mayoral elections in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Kota. The BJP won the mayoral posts in all three corporations.
Attention is also focussed on the Rajasthan State Election Commission over the schedule for the upcoming Panchayati Raj elections.
Reports have suggested that the election schedule could be announced around September 30, after which the Model Code of Conduct would come into force.
However, the final schedule will be determined by the State Election Commission. The reservation process for the rural local bodies has been completed, and preparations for the next phase of elections are underway.
In Khatushyamji, Congress’ Vinita Poonia defeated BJP candidate Prem Devi by 10 votes to 9 to become the Municipality Chairperson.
The 19 votes cast on September 21 were counted on Saturday after the ballot box was brought out of the strongroom in compliance with the Rajasthan High Court’s directions.
The Khatushyamji Municipality has a 20-member board comprising eight BJP councillors, eight Congress councillors, three independents and one RLP councillor.
Nineteen councillors had voted on September 21, with one Congress councillor absent.
The Rajasthan High Court had stayed the proposed September 25 re-poll and directed the authorities to count the votes already cast.
The court’s order followed a petition filed by Poonia, a councillor from Ward 11 and a candidate for the Chairperson’s post.
