Rajasthan civic polls: 10,112 withdrawals spark clashes, bribery claims across state
Synopsis
What should have been a routine administrative deadline turned into a day of political confrontations across Rajasthan — with a ₹1 lakh bribery allegation in Bhilwara, a missing-person case in Nathdwara, and an RLP candidate switching to BJP in Barmer. Over 10,000 withdrawals in a single day have reshaped contests across 309 civic bodies before a single vote is cast.
Key Takeaways
10,112 candidates withdrew nominations on 4 September , the final deadline day for Rajasthan's civic body elections.
The final contest field stands at 38,891 candidates across 10,245 wards in 309 civic bodies .
At least 77 candidates have been elected unopposed, with no polling required in those wards.
In Bhilwara , independent candidate Rohit Sen alleged BJP's Amit Saraswat left ₹1 lakh at his home as an inducement to withdraw; police seized the money.
In Nathdwara , police intervened after BJP and Congress workers clashed over candidate Dinesh Prajapat's attempted withdrawal from Ward 23 .
An RLP candidate in Barmer withdrew and joined the ruling BJP , reportedly seeking police help to leave amid opposition from supporters.
Rajasthan's civic body elections descended into political turbulence on 4 September as 10,112 candidates withdrew their nominations on the final deadline day, triggering confrontations, allegations of cash inducements, and police interventions across multiple districts. With over 17,000 nomination papers rejected during scrutiny, the field for 10,245 wards across 309 civic bodies has narrowed to 38,891 candidates.
Scale of the Withdrawal Wave
The Election Commission of India had recorded 58,379 candidates filing 69,929 nomination papers by 31 August. After scrutiny reduced the pool to 49,080, the withdrawal deadline cut it further by 10,112, bringing the final contestant count to 38,891. At least 77 candidates have already been elected unopposed, meaning voters in those wards will face no contest on polling day.
Key Incidents Across Districts
In Barmer, a Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) candidate withdrew and subsequently joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The candidate reportedly sought police assistance to leave after supporters opposed the move — an unusual sequence that underscored the pressure surrounding the process.
In Nathdwara, BJP candidate Dinesh Prajapat of Ward 23 was reportedly surrounded by BJP workers as he attempted to withdraw his nomination. Indian National Congress (Congress) supporters arrived shortly after, leading to a tense stand-off. Police intervened and escorted Prajapat away. Congress workers subsequently staged a protest, alleging administrative bias, and a missing-person case involving Prajapat was also reportedly filed, deepening the controversy.
In Pali, independent candidate Leela Devi Sanklecha of Ward 1 reportedly fell ill during the withdrawal process, alleging that political pressure had driven her decision. Despite her deteriorating health, she was taken to the Returning Officer to complete the withdrawal.
Bribery Allegation in Bhilwara
The most serious allegation of the withdrawal day emerged from Bhilwara. Independent candidate Rohit Sen, contesting from Ward 49, alleged that BJP candidate Amit Saraswat visited his home in his absence and left ₹1 lakh with his wife as an inducement to withdraw. Sen subsequently filed a written complaint with both the police and the Election Commission. Police seized the money from Sen's residence in connection with the complaint. The allegations remain unproven and are subject to investigation.
Contests Reshaped Ward by Ward
Beyond the confrontations, the withdrawal process fundamentally altered several contests. In Banswara, the Congress candidate for Ward 12 withdrew in favour of the BJP candidate; BJP district president Punjilal Gayri claimed Congress had been unable to field a viable candidate. In Ramganjmandi, the Congress candidate from Ward 27 was elected unopposed after BJP candidate Ravi Mewada and four independent candidates withdrew.
What Comes Next
With the nomination phase now closed, the focus shifts to campaigning, booth management, and voter mobilisation across Rajasthan's 309 civic bodies. The incidents of the withdrawal period — from alleged inducements to police interventions — offer an early signal of how fiercely contested the ward-level battles are expected to be. Election authorities are expected to act on pending complaints before polling day.
Point of View
000 — exposes how civic elections in Rajasthan are fought as much in backrooms as on the campaign trail. The Bhilwara cash allegation, if substantiated, points to a systemic problem: ward-level contests are small enough in scale that relatively modest sums can decisively alter outcomes, yet large enough in aggregate to shape which party controls municipal bodies. The Nathdwara episode, where a candidate's own party workers blocked his withdrawal, illustrates the internal fractures that civic polls surface within both BJP and Congress. Election authorities face a credibility test: how they dispose of the pending complaints before polling day will signal whether accountability mechanisms function at the local level.
NationPress
4 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many candidates withdrew from Rajasthan civic polls on 4 September?
A total of 10,112 candidates withdrew their nominations on 4 September, the final deadline day. This brought the total number of candidates in the fray down from 49,080 to 38,891 across 10,245 wards in 309 civic bodies.
What was the bribery allegation in Bhilwara?
Independent candidate Rohit Sen from Ward 49 in Bhilwara alleged that BJP candidate Amit Saraswat visited his home in his absence and left ₹1 lakh with his wife as an inducement to withdraw from the election. Sen filed a written complaint with the police and the Election Commission, and police subsequently seized the money. The allegation is subject to investigation and has not been established in law.
What happened in Nathdwara during the nomination withdrawal?
BJP candidate Dinesh Prajapat of Ward 23 was reportedly surrounded by BJP workers as he attempted to withdraw his nomination. Congress supporters arrived, leading to a confrontation, and police intervened to escort Prajapat away. Congress workers later alleged administrative bias, and a missing-person case involving Prajapat was also reportedly filed.
How many candidates have been elected unopposed in Rajasthan civic polls?
At least 77 candidates have been elected unopposed following the withdrawal process, meaning voters in those wards will not go to the polls. The exact wards were not specified in official disclosures at the time of reporting.
What is the total scale of Rajasthan's civic body elections?
The elections cover 10,245 wards across 309 civic bodies in Rajasthan. A total of 58,379 candidates had originally filed 69,929 nomination papers by 31 August; after scrutiny and withdrawals, 38,891 candidates remain in the contest.
