Jaipur: BJP’s Sunil Kothari was elected Mayor of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation in the mayoral election held on Friday amid protests and allegations by Congress.
Congress candidate Sunita Mawar fought against him in the direct contest. Kothari, a councillor from Ward 112, secured the support needed to cross the majority mark of 76 in the 150-member corporation.
The election was marked by protests and allegations from Congress during the voting process. Congress MLA Rafiq Khan reached the Municipal Corporation headquarters but was stopped from entering the voting area. He later staged a sit-in outside the corporation office along with Kishanpol MLA Amin Kagzi and Jaipur Congress City President Sunil Sharma.
Congress leaders alleged that some of the party’s councillors were being prevented from entering the voting area to cast their votes.
The situation was subsequently brought under control, and the councillors were allowed to proceed to voting.
Khan and Kagzi also alleged that people without authorised roles were being allowed to enter and leave the polling area. Khan demanded that CCTV recordings be reviewed to establish who entered the area and under what authorisation.
During the proceedings, Congress councillors also clashed with police near the main gate while attempting to enter the voting area.
Congress councillor Mukesh Chhapola led the group during the confrontation.
BJP MLA Gopal Sharma was also stopped by Jaipur Congress City President Sunil Sharma while he was moving towards the voting area. Following a brief protest by Congress workers, Sharma was escorted outside.
Earlier in the morning, BJP candidate Sunil Kothari and Congress candidate Sunita Mawar were among the first to reach the Municipal Corporation headquarters. Both candidates expressed confidence about their respective prospects.
Several councillors were seen bowing in reverence at the entrance of the Municipal Corporation before entering the premises to cast their votes.
Sunil Kothari, the BJP candidate, is the elected councillor from Ward 112. He has previously served as BJP Jaipur City President, State Secretary and State Vice-President and is a member of the BJP State Executive Committee.
In the last municipal elections, Kothari defeated Congress candidate Ashish Sharma by 905 votes. Congress fielded senior councillor Sunita Gupta Mawar from Ward 118 this time. She had served as a councillor four times and was selected as the party’s official candidate for the mayoral election.
After the withdrawal of other nominations, Mawar and Kothari remained the two candidates in the mayoral contest.
The Jaipur Municipal Corporation has 150 wards. The recent municipal elections left the BJP with 78 councillors, Congress with 57, and 15 Independents won as councillors. The majority mark for the Mayor’s election was 76 votes. BJP entered the election with 78 councillors, while Congress had 57. The 15 Independent councillors therefore attracted attention during the election, although the final result saw Kothari securing 89 votes.
As per the election schedule, voting for the Jaipur Mayor’s post was conducted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Counting began immediately after polling concluded, with the result declared soon after. The Deputy Mayor election is scheduled for September 26.
(IANS)
