Vasundhara's winning spree By Shankar Agarwal in Jaipur

Local Body elections in Rajasthan
Vasundhara'swinning spree
By Shankar Agarwal in Jaipur

In the recently held local body elections in Rajasthan, the BJP won a majority and it has been proved that the people of the State are quite satisfied under the Chief Ministership of Vasundhara Raje. Before the elections, the Congress had been claiming frequently that the people were angry with the BJP government under Vasundhara. The Congress in the State is now forced to eat the crow.

In reality, the BJP gained more popularity in Rajasthan after Vasundhara Raje became the State BJP President. In 2003 she became the BJP State President and after that the BJP won three by-elections including that of Sagwada and Bansur. Then she promised to dislodge the Congress from power. The BJP then won State Assembly elections, Lok Sabha elections, municipality elections and Panchayat elections.

In the 2003 Assembly elections, the BJP got an absolute majority by winning 120 out of 200 seats. While the Congress, which had won 153 seats in the previous election, had to be satisfied with only 56 seats. The BJP got 39.2 per cent votes and the Congress 35.6 per cent votes in 2003.

In reality, the BJP gained more popularity in Rajasthan after Vasundhara Raje became the State BJP President. In 2003 she became the BJP State President and after that the BJP won three by-elections including that of Sagwada and Bansur. Then she promised to dislodge the Congress from the seat of power. The BJP won the elections in State Assembly, Lok Sabha elections, municipality elections and Panchayat elections.

Immediately after that in the Lok Sabha elections the BJP made history by winning 21 out of 25 seats and the vote pecentage increased to 49.01. This proved that the people were quite satisfied with the developmental programmes of Vasundhara Raje.

After that in the local body elections also the Congress lost ground in the State. Out of total 45 in the local body elections the BJP won 33 seats and now out of a total 126 chairman seats, the BJP won in 81 seats, while the Congress won in 33 seats. Before local body elections, in the Panchayat elections, the BJP registered an impressive victory, although the Congress was claiming that the BJP was very weak in the rural sector. State government's100-day and 365-day programmes in rural sector attracted many village people and in district council elections, out of total 1008 seats the BJP won 459 seat and out of total 32 district chairman seats, for the first time the BJP won 13 seats.