JAIPUR: The results of the recent panchayat samiti and the elections of local bodies have demonstrated the growing influence of the BJP in rural areas and that the CongressStrengths in these areas may be fading.
The BJP emerged as the largest party in polls by panchayat samitis and zila parishads, but in urban local bodies, the tables turned and Congress won 619 districts out of 1,775 in all 50 municipalities. The BJP was relegated to third position below the independents with 549 districts.
The BJP had always held an advantage in local body elections. The results of the last five elections since 1995 show that the saffron party enjoyed an advantage in four elections except 2000.
In the 2000 elections, Congress was in power and Ashok Gehlot at the forefront of affairs as it managed to outwit the BJP by winning 65 local bodies, while the BJP was relegated to second place with 52. In the other four elections, the BJP maintained supremacy.
BJP President Satish Poonia accepted that the results of the local body elections were a setback for the party. Congress obtained 40.87% of the votes while the BJP obtained 40.58% of the votes in the elections held to 222 panchayat samitis in 21 zila parishads. The Congress, despite being in power, obtained 0.29% more votes than the BJP.
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