BJP's Sunil Kothari wins Jaipur Mayor election with 89 votes amid Congress protests
Synopsis
BJP's Sunil Kothari stormed to the Jaipur mayoral post with 89 votes — 13 above the majority mark — suggesting Independent councillors broke decisively in his favour. Congress's protests over alleged voter obstruction and CCTV demands add a charged political backdrop ahead of the Deputy Mayor vote on 26 September.
Key Takeaways
Sunil Kothari (BJP) won the Jaipur Mayor election on 25 September 2026 with 89 votes , crossing the majority mark of 76 .
Congress candidate Sunita Gupta Mawar , a four-time councillor from Ward 118 , lost the direct contest.
BJP held 78 councillors entering the election; Congress had 57 ; 15 Independents were the swing bloc.
Congress MLAs Rafiq Khan and Amin Kagzi staged a sit-in, alleging obstruction of their councillors and demanding a CCTV review.
Congress councillors led by Mukesh Chhapola clashed with police near the main gate during voting.
The Deputy Mayor election is scheduled for 26 September .
Sunil Kothari of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was elected Mayor of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation on 25 September 2026, securing 89 votes in the 150-member corporation to comfortably cross the majority mark of 76. His victory in the direct contest against Congress candidate Sunita Gupta Mawar came after a stormy voting day marked by protests, allegations of obstruction, and clashes between Congress workers and police.
The Election Result
Kothari, the elected councillor from Ward 112, entered the contest as the statistical favourite: BJP held 78 councillors going in, already two seats above the majority threshold. Congress had 57, leaving the bloc of 15 Independent councillors as the key swing factor. Kothari's final tally of 89 votes suggests he drew support well beyond his own party's base. Congress candidate Mawar, a four-time councillor from Ward 118, was the party's official nominee after other nominations were withdrawn.
Congress Protests and Allegations
The proceedings were repeatedly disrupted by Congress leaders who alleged systematic obstruction. Congress MLA Rafiq Khan arrived at the Municipal Corporation headquarters but was denied entry to the voting area; he subsequently staged a sit-in outside the office alongside Kishanpol MLA Amin Kagzi and Jaipur Congress City President Sunil Sharma. Congress leaders alleged that some of their own councillors were being prevented from casting votes.
Khan and Kagzi further alleged that unauthorised individuals were moving freely in and out of the polling area, and demanded a review of CCTV recordings to establish who had entered and under what authorisation. The situation was reportedly brought under control and councillors were eventually allowed to proceed to vote.
Confrontations at the Venue
Tensions escalated near the main gate when Congress councillors, led by Mukesh Chhapola, clashed with police while attempting to enter the voting area. Separately, BJP MLA Gopal Sharma was briefly stopped by Jaipur Congress City President Sunil Sharma while approaching the voting zone; following a short stand-off, Sharma was escorted out by Congress workers. Voting was conducted from 10 am to 2 pm IST, with counting commencing immediately after polls closed and the result declared shortly thereafter.
Who Is Sunil Kothari
Kothari brings substantial organisational experience to the mayoral post. He has previously served as BJP Jaipur City President, State Secretary, and State Vice-President, and is a member of the BJP State Executive Committee. In the preceding municipal elections, he had defeated Congress candidate Ashish Sharma by 905 votes in Ward 112, cementing his standing as a formidable local figure.
What Comes Next
The Deputy Mayor election for the Jaipur Municipal Corporation is scheduled for 26 September, a day after the mayoral contest concluded. With BJP commanding a clear majority in the corporation — 78 of 150 seats — the party is well-positioned to retain that post as well. The Congress allegations around voting access are likely to remain a political flashpoint in the run-up to that election.
Point of View
A pattern consistent with Rajasthan's post-election consolidation dynamics where sitting MLAs and local power brokers tend to align with the governing party. Congress's CCTV demands and obstruction allegations, while standard political theatre in such contests, carry a sting: if substantiated, they could embarrass the state administration ahead of the Deputy Mayor vote. The deeper story, however, is Congress's arithmetic problem — with only 57 councillors against BJP's 78, it had no realistic path to victory absent a near-total Independent sweep. The protests may signal that Congress knows this and is playing to a longer optics game rather than contesting the result itself.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Jaipur Mayor election in September 2026?
BJP's Sunil Kothari won the Jaipur Mayor election on 25 September 2026, securing 89 votes in the 150-member Jaipur Municipal Corporation against Congress candidate Sunita Gupta Mawar. The majority mark was 76 votes.
What allegations did Congress make during the Jaipur mayoral election?
Congress alleged that some of its councillors were being prevented from entering the voting area to cast their votes, and that unauthorised individuals had access to the polling zone. Congress MLAs Rafiq Khan and Amin Kagzi demanded a review of CCTV recordings to identify who entered the area and under what authorisation.
Who is Sunil Kothari?
Sunil Kothari is the elected councillor from Ward 112 of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation and a senior BJP functionary. He has previously served as BJP Jaipur City President, State Secretary, and State Vice-President, and is a member of the BJP State Executive Committee.
What is the councillor composition of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation?
The Jaipur Municipal Corporation has 150 wards. After the most recent municipal elections, BJP won 78 seats, Congress won 57, and 15 Independents were elected. The majority mark for the Mayor's election was 76 votes.
When is the Jaipur Deputy Mayor election?
The Deputy Mayor election for the Jaipur Municipal Corporation is scheduled for 26 September 2026, one day after the mayoral contest concluded on 25 September.
