Jaipur: A fierce power struggle unfolded in the city’s political landscape Monday as confusion reigned over the BJP candidate for municipal ward 76, marking a significant rift within the ruling party. The conflict saw former JMC Greater deputy mayor Puneet Karnawat, backed by RSS, and party rival Kuldeep Mishra, backed by pro-Vasundhara Raje loyalist MLA Kalicharan Saraf, resulting in a high-stakes struggle that culminated in intervention from Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.
Nomination rush ahead of deadline for Rajasthan ULB polls: With Monday being the last day to file nominations for Rajasthan’s urban local body elections, candidates crowded filing centres for 10,245 councillor seats across 309 urban local bodies. Election authorities said more than 15,000 nomination papers have been submitted so far, with the total expected to jump as the deadline closes
BJP announced Karnawat as the official nominee for ward 76, a move celebrated by his supporters who view him as a candidate aligned with the party’s grassroots philosophy. However, confusion ensued when Saraf presented Mishra with the party’s election symbol, leading to the dual filings of nominations and escalating tensions within party ranks. The standoff escalated until CM stepped in, after which the symbol was ultimately allotted to Karnawat. Mishra, though, is yet to withdraw his nomination.In addition to the turmoil over ward 76, several other crucial decisions were made as BJP released the final list of candidates for all municipal corporations across Rajasthan on the last day for filing nominations for the urban local body elections scheduled on Sept 9 and 11.The churn over tickets was visible elsewhere in Jaipur as well. Former JMC Heritage acting mayor Kusum Yadav was denied a ticket, with BJP fielding former party state vice-president Sunil Kothari from ward 112. Pratibha Sharma, wife of CM Bhajan Lal Sharma’s OSD Anand Sharma, was nominated from ward 87. The party also named 23-year-old Gen-Z candidate Shalu Meena from ward 150.The party has fielded 52 women candidates and at least eight Muslim candidates in Jaipur, signalling an apparent shift towards inclusivity in its campaign strategy. The candidacy of former Jaipur mayor Jyoti Khandelwal, who made the switch from Congress to BJP in 2023, from ward 110 under Kishanpole assembly constituency indicated the party’s strategy to attract familiar faces in competitive wards.
Minor clash on getting entry to the RO’s office to file the nomination after 3PM at Zila Parishad
BJP Mahila Morcha state vice-president Anuradha Maheshwari has been named from ward 107, while former municipal corporation committee chairperson Bhawani Singh Rajawat got the ticket from ward 89. From ward 12, Rajendra Karodia (Saini), husband of sitting councillor Rashmi Saini, has been fielded. Former Jaipur BJP city president Shailendra Bhargava has been nominated from ward 43, previously represented by former Jaipur mayor Ashok Lahoti.
Nominations – Lal Kothi Zone
However, not all reactions were positive. Several last-minute picks surprised party workers. Sources said Saraf secured a ticket for his driver Natwarlal Kumawat from ward 83. BJP also fielded the wife of sitting councillor Ramkishore Soyal from ward 69; Soyal had earlier been caught in an ACB trap in an alleged Rs 30,000 bribery case.Discontent echoed among the saffron party’s youth cadre also, with several aspiring candidates feeling overlooked in the selection process. Mahipal Singh (34) shared his frustration, saying, “I was working on the ground tirelessly for the past five years. However, the candidate who has been nominated is above 65. This is discouraging youth like us, but my hard work will bear fruit.”
Gate closes at a nomination centre at Lal Kothi in Jaipur, Rajasthan on 31 August 2026
Likewise, Jeetu Chaudhary (36) articulated his disappointment by declaring, “The party should not claim it would promote youth. The candidate who has been given the ticket is not even a local and has not worked for the people of the ward.”
