Rajasthan Urban Poll Results 2026: BJP Wins but Faces Setbacks in Key Strongholds

The BJP emerged as the largest party in Rajasthan’s 2026 urban local body elections, winning 4,179 of 10,235 declared wards, compared with 3,613 for the Congress. Its seat share increased to 40.8% from 35.7% in the 2019-21 cycle, while the Congress declined from 40.7% to 35.3%. However, the BJP’s vote-share advantage over the Congress was only 0.94 percentage points.

The results also produced setbacks in several urban areas traditionally associated with the BJP and its senior leaders. In Bharatpur, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma’s home region, Independents won 36 of 65 wards, while the BJP secured 20 and Congress seven. Pali, linked to BJP state president Madan Rathore, saw Congress win 29 wards against 21 for the BJP. In Jhalawar, associated with former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Congress won 29 of 45 wards while BJP won 13. Ajmer also returned Congress as the largest party with 37 wards, compared with 32 for BJP.

In Jodhpur, BJP and Congress won 44 wards each, making Independents important for board formation. BJP emerged as the largest party in Alwar but fell short of a majority. In Bikaner, Congress won 42 of 80 wards.

Independents secured 2,273 wards, or 22.2%, almost unchanged from their 22.4% share in the previous cycle. Rebels denied tickets by BJP and Congress also contested independently, while local issues such as roads, drainage, garbage, waterlogging and municipal services influenced the contests.

Smaller parties gained ground as well. AAP won 42 wards, CPI(M) secured 29 in Nokha, and Hanuman Beniwal’s RLP increased its tally from 14 wards to 63.

The results do not by themselves establish a statewide shift away from the BJP. However, the performance in several BJP-linked urban centres, along with independent candidates, local governance concerns, factional competition and demands for representation, indicates that parts of the party’s traditional urban support base were more open to alternatives in these civic elections.