Major political parties to contest Rajasthan local body polls on their own

Major political parties, including the BJP and the Congress, have decided to contest the local body election on more than 2,100 wards and 49 municipalities in Rajasthan without any alliance.

While the Congress does not usually contest civic body election in alliance with any other party, the BJP too has ruled out any possibility of contesting the poll with alliance partner Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP).

The ruling Congress in the state seems to be upbeat following the Assembly bypoll result in Mandawa and Khivsar. The Congress wrested the Mandawa seat from the BJP whereas its candidate lost on the Khivsar seat by a narrow margin of just 4,630 votes.

Referring to the party's performance in the bypoll, Congress state president Sachin Pilot on Wednesday told reporters in Udaipur that the party will definitely do well in the local body polls.

"The atmosphere is in favour of Congress and the party will contest with full force in the civic body elections. People are liking our work, so I have no hesitation in saying that the Congress will do very well in all the civic body elections," he said.

Pilot said the party has not formed any alliance for the local body polls.

At the same time, the BJP has also decided to contest the election on its own. The party leaders met here on Tuesday and formed a committee of 11 members for management of operations.

"The BJP has its own existence in urban bodies so I don't think there is any need for any alliance," state party unit chief Satish Punia told reporters.

It is noteworthy that the BJP contested the Lok Sabha election in alliance with the RLP on one seat. In the Assembly bypoll, BJP had left Khivsar seat for the RLP.

RLP convener and MP Hanuman Beniwal said the party would come to a decision on this soon.

The elections to the 49 municipalities of Rajasthan will be held next month. These bodies have a total of 2,105 wards and 32,99,337 voters. According to the election schedule, polling will be held on November 16 and results will be announced on November 19.