The current ruling party BJP successfully kept its lead over Congress. In bypolls of panchayat and municipal seats in the state in the backdrop of PM Narendra Modi’s Demonetisation move, BJP led Congress with a frail margin.
From 24 panchayat samiti seats in polls, BJP ruled over 24 seats in comparison to Congress’s 10 seats. 2 of the total seats are won by non-dependant candidates. Bypolls were arranged in 3 zila parishad seats of three districts, Banswara, Bhilwara and Jalore. Among them, 2 seats went to BJP i.e. Bhilwara and Bnaswara and one seat which is Jalore, is kept by Congress.
Bypolls were arranged for 10 municipal seats and in 9 districts. Amidst these, BJP holds 5 seats, Congress got 3 seats and 2 seats went to independent seats.
For all 37 local body seats, polling was arranged for 20 districts on November 29. On Thursday, counting of votes took place. In these polls, BJP captured 19 seats, Congress took 14 seats and the independents won four during the election held on November 8 at the time of demonetisation.
Mentioning his opinion, Sachin Pilot (Congress state president) mentioned, ” Bypoll results generally go in favour of the ruling party. Still the Congress performance is satisfactory. Congress has won panchayat samiti seats in Atru (Baran), Srimadhopur (Sikar), Abu Road and Reodar (Sirohi) that were earlier held by BJP.”
Further Pilot added, “In all bypolls held over the past three years, the voting percentage of Congress has improved. Wherever the party lost, the margin was very small. BJP has failed to deliver on its promise, so its public support is shrinking”.
With these results, BJP has a consolidated base of seats. Though the margin of difference is quite minimal, the party still has all means of competing among the constant rivalry related to remonetisation.
