'Triumph of truth over jhooth ki goonj': PM Modi hails BJP victory in Rajasthan civic polls

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday thanked the people of Rajasthan after the BJP emerged as the largest party in the state’s municipal elections, winning more wards than the Congress and securing majorities in four of the 10 municipal corporations.In a post on X, PM Modi said the results reflected support for the BJP’s policies of development and good governance under the “double-engine government”.“Heartfelt thanks to the people of Rajasthan for delivering a resounding victory to the BJP in the municipal elections,” PM Modi wrote.“This is a testament to the triumph of truth over the jhooth ki goonj (echo of lies),” he added.PM Modi also congratulated the winning candidates and BJP workers, saying the mandate would strengthen the party’s resolve to work towards development and prosperity in the state.BJP ahead of Congress in urban pollsAccording to figures from the Rajasthan State Election Commission, results for 10,235 of the state’s 10,244 wards had been declared by 8.30 pm on Monday.The BJP had won 4,179 wards compared with 3,613 for the Congress. The BJP crossed the majority mark in Jaipur, Udaipur, Kota and Bhilwara municipal corporations, while the Congress secured a majority in Bikaner.The Congress also recorded a major victory in the Jhalawar municipal council, considered a stronghold of former chief minister Vasundhara Raje.The elections covered 309 urban local bodies — 10 municipal corporations, 47 municipal councils and 252 municipal boards.BJP crosses majority in KotaIn Kota Municipal Corporation, the BJP secured 55 of the 100 wards, while Congress won 40 and Independents three. The result for Ward 87 was put on hold after an EVM malfunction.Congress candidate Laxmi Sharma and other party workers staged a protest outside the counting centre, seeking the result and alleging irregularities.Officials later sealed the machine in the presence of the district collector and additional district magistrate and forwarded a report to the Election Commission through the returning officer.The BJP also retained several individual seats. Vivek Rajvanshi won his fourth consecutive term from Ward 54, defeating Congress candidate Manish by 2,226 votes.Gopal Ram Manda secured his fifth consecutive election victory, defeating Congress candidate Sanjay Yadav by 899 votes.Congress and Independent candidates, however, registered victories in some key wards. Youth Congress candidate Arpit Jain defeated BJP veteran and former deputy mayor Yogendra Khinchi by 250 votes in Ward 86.Independent candidate Vandana Faujdar won Ward 71 with 1,264 votes, defeating BJP candidate Meenakshi Sen by 160 votes.Independents give BJP majority in BundiIn Bundi, the BJP initially emerged as the largest party with 29 wards, two short of a majority. Congress won 20 wards, while Independents secured 11.Later in the day, three Independent candidates, Prabhat Devi, Aatmaram Chopdar and Vishal Sharma, joined the BJP, taking the party to a majority and enabling it to form the board.The BJP had also captured the previous mid-term board after Congress council chairperson Madu Nuwal was suspended.Congress leaders had expected to retain control but faced criticism over ticket distribution. Former councillors Devraj Gochar, Ankit Buliwal and Jeeshan Ali, who were denied Congress tickets, won as Independents.BJP calls results a mandate for governanceBJP president Nitin Nabin thanked Rajasthan voters for what he described as a “historic victory”, saying the results showed continued faith in Modi’s leadership.BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi also cited the party’s performance in Kota, where Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had conducted the student-centric programme ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’.“In Kota, where Rahul Gandhi had gone and attempted to create ‘jhooth ki goonj’, the BJP appears to be winning spectacularly,” Trivedi said.He claimed the results demonstrated that the Congress had “more propaganda and less reality” in its claims.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.