Congress Wins Khatushyamji Municipal President Post, BJP Defeated by 1 Vote

In a significant political development in the Sikar district of Rajasthan, the results for the post of President of the Khatushyamji Municipality were officially announced on Saturday. The election concluded with a narrow but decisive victory for the Congress party. Vinita Punia, the candidate representing the Congress, emerged victorious by defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, Prem Devi, by a margin of exactly 1 vote. This victory is being viewed as a major boost for the Congress in the region, while it marks a significant setback for the BJP in a town of immense religious importance.

High Court Intervention and Counting Process

The declaration of the results followed a specific legal directive from the Rajasthan High Court. The court had ordered the Returning Officer, Kapil Upadhyay, to conduct the counting of votes and release the final results within a 24 hour timeframe. Adhering to these judicial instructions, the process of retrieving the ballot box from the strong room commenced on Saturday morning. The entire operation was conducted under the strict supervision of senior officials, including Returning Officer Kapil Upadhyay, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Deepak Garg, and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DYSP) Rajesh Kumar Jangid.

The strong room, located at the local police station, was opened in the presence of these police and administrative authorities. It was noted that the BJP's presidential candidate, Prem Devi, didn't reach the strong room during this process. Following the retrieval, the ballot box was transported under heavy security to the municipality office hall, where the formal counting of the 19 cast votes took place. The process was completed with transparency and in accordance with the established legal procedures.

Voting Statistics and Participation

The election for the presidential post saw participation from almost all elected members of the municipality. Out of the total 20 councilors, 19 councilors cast their votes on September 21 by 2 PM. One councilor, Laxmi Devi, remained absent from the voting process, which brought the total number of valid votes to 19. After the voting concluded on that day, the ballot box had been placed in a secure strong room at the police station under tight security measures to ensure the integrity of the election until the court-ordered counting could take place.

Political Context and Religious Significance

The defeat in Khatushyamji is being characterized as a major blow to the BJP, particularly because the town is a prominent religious center. This loss follows a pattern that the party has experienced in other significant religious locations. The source notes that the BJP previously lost the Ayodhya seat during the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. Plus, in July 2024, the party faced a defeat in the Badrinath assembly seat by-election in Uttarakhand. In that instance, Congress candidate Lakhpat Singh Butola defeated BJP candidate Rajendra Singh Bhandari by a margin of 5224 votes. The loss in Khatushyamji adds to this list of setbacks in religious townships for the party.

Celebrations and Next Steps

Following the official announcement of Vinita Punia's victory, an atmosphere of celebration erupted among Congress supporters. The security arrangements remained tight throughout the counting process, with a large police force deployed under the leadership of DYSP Rajesh Kumar Jangid to maintain order and prevent any untoward incidents. While the presidential post has been decided, the political activity in Khatushyamji is set to continue as the election for the post of Vice President of the municipality is scheduled to take place on Sunday. The Congress party aims to maintain its momentum, while the BJP will look to recover from this narrow defeat.