Massive win for BJP in Rajasthan local polls, Congress loses Kota where Rahul Gandhi launched student campaign
The BJP has secured control of Jaipur, Kota, Udaipur, and Bhilwara. The final mayoral picture in several other cities, however, will depend on Independents and post-poll support
- Sep 14, 2026,
- Updated Sep 14, 2026 8:31 PM IST
The BJP has made major gains across key cities in Rajasthan's local body elections, putting it in a strong position to control Jaipur, Kota, Udaipur and Bhilwara.
The Congress has won Bikaner but remained short of a majority in Ajmer and Pali. The party also lost in Kota, where Rahul Gandhi launched his student outreach campaign in June.
The BJP has secured control of Jaipur, Kota, Udaipur, and Bhilwara. The final mayoral picture in several other cities, however, will depend on Independents and post-poll support.
BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi called the results a "splendid victory" for the party and said they showed growing public support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.
Don't Miss: Festival travel alert: Railways announces extra trains between Delhi, MP and Rajasthan
Kota Results Catch Attention
The BJP won 53 of the 100 wards in Kota, giving it a clear majority.
The result is significant because Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had launched his nationwide student outreach campaign, Chhatron Ki Goonj, from Kota on June 17.
Addressing a student convention at Dussehra Maidan, Gandhi had called for rebuilding India's education system. He said the system puts pressure on children, stresses students, and extracts money from parents.
Trivedi referred to Gandhi's visit while attacking the Congress. He said Rahul Gandhi had attempted to create an "echo of lies" in Kota, but the BJP was now "appearing to win in a splendid manner".
He said this showed that Congress statements contained "more propaganda and less reality".
BJP Leads In Key Cities
In the 80-member Udaipur Municipal Corporation, the BJP won 53 wards. It also won 45 of 70 wards in Bhilwara.
In Jaipur, the BJP edged ahead of the Congress. It also led in Alwar.
The Congress won Bikaner. It was also ahead of the BJP in Ajmer and Pali but remained short of a majority in both. The mayoral outcome in the two cities will depend on which way the Independents go.
Jodhpur produced a close contest. The BJP and Congress won 44 wards each, while Independents secured the remaining 10.
Bharatpur produced a different picture. Independents won or led in 36 of its 65 wards. The BJP had 20 and Congress seven. The BSP and RLP won one ward each.
Bharatpur is Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma's hometown.
In Ajmer, Congress won 37 of 80 wards, compared with 32 for the BJP and 11 for Independents.
In the 65-ward Pali Nagar Nigam, Congress won 29 wards, BJP 21, and Independents 15. Pali is the hometown of BJP state president Madan Rathore.
Mayoral Picture Still Open
The BJP is in a position to control Jaipur, Kota, Udaipur, and Bhilwara. Congress has a clear win in Bikaner.
The final outcome in Ajmer, Pali, Alwar, Jodhpur, and Bharatpur will depend on Independents or post-poll support.
The actual mayoral winners will become clear on September 21.
Trivedi also pointed to the BJP's gains in six districts - Bundi, Dausa, Hanumangarh, Karauli, Dholpur, and Bharatpur - where the party had failed to form even a single board in any local body in the previous election.
He said the latest results showed the BJP was expanding its social and geographical base in the state.
He also criticised the Congress over the conduct of the elections, saying the previous Congress government had conducted local body polls in eight phases, while the BJP government held them in a single phase.
On the division of the Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Kota municipal corporations, Trivedi said the results showed that voters had rejected the policy of breaking up the corporations.
The BJP has made major gains across key cities in Rajasthan's local body elections, putting it in a strong position to control Jaipur, Kota, Udaipur and Bhilwara.
The Congress has won Bikaner but remained short of a majority in Ajmer and Pali. The party also lost in Kota, where Rahul Gandhi launched his student outreach campaign in June.
The BJP has secured control of Jaipur, Kota, Udaipur, and Bhilwara. The final mayoral picture in several other cities, however, will depend on Independents and post-poll support.
BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi called the results a "splendid victory" for the party and said they showed growing public support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.
Don't Miss: Festival travel alert: Railways announces extra trains between Delhi, MP and Rajasthan
Kota Results Catch Attention
The BJP won 53 of the 100 wards in Kota, giving it a clear majority.
The result is significant because Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had launched his nationwide student outreach campaign, Chhatron Ki Goonj, from Kota on June 17.
Addressing a student convention at Dussehra Maidan, Gandhi had called for rebuilding India's education system. He said the system puts pressure on children, stresses students, and extracts money from parents.
Trivedi referred to Gandhi's visit while attacking the Congress. He said Rahul Gandhi had attempted to create an "echo of lies" in Kota, but the BJP was now "appearing to win in a splendid manner".
He said this showed that Congress statements contained "more propaganda and less reality".
BJP Leads In Key Cities
In the 80-member Udaipur Municipal Corporation, the BJP won 53 wards. It also won 45 of 70 wards in Bhilwara.
In Jaipur, the BJP edged ahead of the Congress. It also led in Alwar.
The Congress won Bikaner. It was also ahead of the BJP in Ajmer and Pali but remained short of a majority in both. The mayoral outcome in the two cities will depend on which way the Independents go.
Jodhpur produced a close contest. The BJP and Congress won 44 wards each, while Independents secured the remaining 10.
Bharatpur produced a different picture. Independents won or led in 36 of its 65 wards. The BJP had 20 and Congress seven. The BSP and RLP won one ward each.
Bharatpur is Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma's hometown.
In Ajmer, Congress won 37 of 80 wards, compared with 32 for the BJP and 11 for Independents.
In the 65-ward Pali Nagar Nigam, Congress won 29 wards, BJP 21, and Independents 15. Pali is the hometown of BJP state president Madan Rathore.
Mayoral Picture Still Open
The BJP is in a position to control Jaipur, Kota, Udaipur, and Bhilwara. Congress has a clear win in Bikaner.
The final outcome in Ajmer, Pali, Alwar, Jodhpur, and Bharatpur will depend on Independents or post-poll support.
The actual mayoral winners will become clear on September 21.
Trivedi also pointed to the BJP's gains in six districts - Bundi, Dausa, Hanumangarh, Karauli, Dholpur, and Bharatpur - where the party had failed to form even a single board in any local body in the previous election.
He said the latest results showed the BJP was expanding its social and geographical base in the state.
He also criticised the Congress over the conduct of the elections, saying the previous Congress government had conducted local body polls in eight phases, while the BJP government held them in a single phase.
On the division of the Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Kota municipal corporations, Trivedi said the results showed that voters had rejected the policy of breaking up the corporations.