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Jaipur: On September 14, prime minister Narendra Modi thanked the public of Rajasthan for “delivering a resounding victory (prachand jeet) to the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)” in the municipal elections, the results of which were declared earlier that day.

In a post on X, PM Modi said that the mandate to the ruling BJP once again makes it clear that the public fully supports the good governance and development policies of the “double-engine” government.

However, a closer look at the election results raises questions about Modi’s claim of a “resounding victory” for the BJP, which even though managed to win the most number of wards, falls short of its own performance in previous elections when the saffron party was in power in the state. A sharp proliferation of regional parties point to the same trend that was witnessed in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, defying lazy classifications of polls in Rajasthan being ‘bi-polar’ or simply winner takes it all. A big setback in Bharatpur, the incumbent chief minister’ home district despite much campaigning has further embarassed the ruling party.

Difference of less than 1% in vote share of BJP and Congress

The difference between the vote shares of the BJP and Congress is a mere 0.94% While the BJP’s vote share stands at 35.19%, the Congress has a vote share of 34.25%.

As per the results declared by the Rajasthan State Election Commission (SEC), the BJP has won 4,179 wards out of the 10,235 wards in 309 urban local bodies (ULB) for which the results have been declared.

Results in nine wards have been held after glitches were reported in electronic voting machines (EVMs) in some of the booths. The main opposition Congress has come second by winning 3,613 wards. Independents have emerged victorious in 2,273........

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