Jaipur, Sep 12 (IANS) With voting for Rajasthan’s civic body elections over, political activity has shifted from the ballot box to a scramble for numbers, with independent councillors expected to play a decisive role in several municipal boards.

As the September 14 counting day approaches, both the BJP and the Congress have begun the traditional exercise of ‘barabandi’, keeping their candidates together at hotels, resorts and other locations to prevent poaching and cross-voting.

In Jaipur, the BJP has summoned all its councillor candidates to the party’s city office at noon on Saturday. They have been asked to carry personal belongings for a stay until September 22. Buses have been stationed outside the office to shift the candidates to a designated location.

BJP Jaipur District President Amit Goyal said the candidates had been instructed to report to the party office and would stay together at one location, where the party would discuss its policies and strategy.

Party sources said similar arrangements were being made in other districts, including Udaipur.

The strategy is to keep potentially victorious councillors together until board formation, particularly in closely contested municipalities where independents could determine the majority.

The ‘barabandi’ exercise has also begun in Ajmer, Udaipur, Chittorgarh and Kotputli. In Ajmer, 41 BJP candidates from the North constituency were gathered at Vijayalakshmi Park on Friday night and reportedly taken to Pushkar for a three-day training programme.

Another 37 BJP candidates from the South constituency gathered under Anita Bhadel.

In Udaipur, the BJP gathered all 80 candidates at a hotel on 100-Feet Road. The candidates were called for a training meeting and ward-wise feedback. BJP City District President Gajpal Singh Rathore claimed the party would win more than 60 wards and form the board with a historic majority.

In Chittorgarh’s Kapasan, BJP candidates were assembled at the party office before being moved to a secluded location. MLA Arjun Lal Jingar congratulated them in advance and expressed confidence in the party’s victory.

The Congress has also joined the race. Around 70 Congress candidates from Viratnagar and Pawta-Pragpura municipalities in the Kotputli region have been lodged at a resort in Neemrana. They are likely to remain together until the September 21 chairperson election.

In Dungarpur’s Sagwara, Congress candidates have reportedly been lodged at a resort in Mount Abu, while BJP candidates have been moved to Udaipur. With the results due on September 14, the focus is now firmly on numbers.

–IANS

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