Jaipur: BJP and Congress have begun shaping rival strategies for Rajasthan’s panchayat and urban local body elections, expected between Sept and Nov, in what both see as the first major grassroots test ahead of the 2028 Assembly polls.BJP has put veteran leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ghanshyam Tiwari in charge of its manifesto committee, leaning on experience for the campaign. Congress, on the other hand, is focusing on rebuilding its organisation from the booth level while positioning Rahul Gandhi as its principal campaign face.The elections will cover six municipal corporations, 42 municipal councils, over 150 municipalities, 44 zila parishads, 352 panchayat samitis and nearly 11,400 gram panchayats, making them the biggest grassroots electoral exercise before the next assembly polls.BJP state general secretary and a member of the manifesto committee said, “The vision of PM Narendra Modi and the guidance of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma will be at the centre of our campaign. The govt’s work over the past two-and-a-half years will be our biggest strength, while the manifesto will outline our roadmap for the future,” he said.Congress state spokesperson Swarnim Chaturvedi said the party had strengthened its organisation by forming committees across districts and reaching nearly 11,000 urban wards and around 14,000 gram panchayats.The contest is also set to become more multi-cornered. Union minister Ramdas Athawale Monday announced that Republican Party of India (Athawale) would contest Rajasthan’s local body polls for the first time, while coordinating with its ally, BJP, on seat-sharing.Regional parties are also entering the fray independently. Bharat Adivasi Party MP Rajkumar Roat said the party would field candidates across the tribal belt and in other regions, while Rashtriya Loktantrik Party chief Hanuman Beniwal has also decided to contest independently.While urban local body elections are expected between August 17 and 22, panchayat polls are likely to be notified around Sept 23. The entire election process is targeted for completion by Nov 15.
