Rajasthan civic polls: BJP's Vivek Rajvanshi wins Kota Deputy Mayor post unopposed
Synopsis
BJP swept Rajasthan's mayoral elections — and now its Deputy Mayor momentum continues, with Vivek Rajvanshi winning unopposed in Kota. The real drama unfolded in Khatushyamji, where a single-vote Congress win survived a stay order from the Rajasthan High Court, exposing just how razor-thin the balance of power is in the state's smaller local bodies.
Key Takeaways
Vivek Rajvanshi (BJP) was elected unopposed as Deputy Mayor of Kota Municipal Corporation on 26 September 2026 .
Congress declined to field a candidate for the Kota Deputy Mayor post, handing BJP an uncontested win.
Vinita Poonia (Congress) defeated BJP's Prem Devi by 10 votes to 9 to become Chairperson of Khatushyamji Municipality .
The Rajasthan High Court stayed a re-poll and directed a count of votes cast on 21 September ; the ballot box was retrieved from a strongroom for the count.
BJP had already won mayoral posts in all three major corporations — Jaipur , Jodhpur , and Kota .
The Panchayati Raj election schedule is expected to be announced around 30 September 2026 .
Vivek Rajvanshi of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was elected unopposed as Deputy Mayor of the Kota Municipal Corporation on Saturday, 26 September 2026, after the Indian National Congress declined to field a candidate for the post. Separately, Congress candidate Vinita Poonia narrowly won the Chairperson post of the Khatushyamji Municipality in Sikar district, following a court-ordered vote count.
Rajvanshi's Unopposed Win in Kota
With the Congress choosing not to contest the Deputy Mayor's post, Rajvanshi secured the position without a vote. Speaking after his election, he said he would focus on improving civic services and transforming Kota into a cleaner and greener city. Rajvanshi, who brings approximately 27 years of public service experience, added that his work would align with the civic vision articulated by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The BJP had already swept the mayoral elections in Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Kota, making Rajvanshi's unopposed victory a further consolidation of the party's hold over urban local bodies in the state.
Jaipur Deputy Mayor Race: Cross-Voting Fears Surface
In Jaipur, the Deputy Mayor election is more closely contested. BJP candidate Saroj Kanwar is facing a Congress challenger, and Congress leaders have publicly raised the possibility of cross-voting within BJP ranks. Rajasthan Urban Development and Housing Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra pushed back against those claims, asserting that BJP councillors remain 'united and disciplined' and that no cross-voting would occur. The outcome of the Jaipur contest is being watched closely as a barometer of BJP's internal cohesion following its mayoral sweep.
Khatushyamji Chairperson: Congress Wins by One Vote After Court Intervention
The election in Khatushyamji had a more turbulent path. Vinita Poonia of the Congress defeated BJP candidate Prem Devi by 10 votes to 9 to become Municipality Chairperson. The result came after the Rajasthan High Court stayed a proposed re-poll scheduled for 25 September and directed authorities to count the 19 votes already cast on 21 September. The ballot box was retrieved from a strongroom and counted on Saturday in compliance with the court's order. Poonia, a councillor from Ward 11, had petitioned the High Court challenging the re-poll decision.
The Khatushyamji Municipality has a 20-member board comprising eight BJP councillors, eight Congress councillors, three independents, and one Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) councillor. One Congress councillor was absent on polling day, leaving 19 votes to be counted — a margin that ultimately proved decisive.
Panchayati Raj Elections on the Horizon
Attention is now shifting to the Rajasthan State Election Commission, which is expected to announce the schedule for Panchayati Raj elections around 30 September 2026, according to reports. Once announced, the Model Code of Conduct would come into force. The reservation process for rural local bodies has been completed, and preparations are reportedly underway. The final schedule, however, rests with the State Election Commission.
Point of View
An absent councillor, and a ballot box pulled from a strongroom. It is a reminder that below the headline municipal corporations, Rajasthan's civic politics remain genuinely contested. The Panchayati Raj election schedule, expected imminently, will be the next true stress test of the BJP's claimed ground-level dominance.
NationPress
26 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Vivek Rajvanshi and why was he elected unopposed as Kota Deputy Mayor?
Vivek Rajvanshi is a BJP leader with approximately 27 years of public service experience who was elected unopposed as Deputy Mayor of the Kota Municipal Corporation on 26 September 2026. He ran without opposition because the Congress chose not to field a candidate for the post.
How did Vinita Poonia win the Khatushyamji Municipality Chairperson election?
Vinita Poonia of the Congress defeated BJP's Prem Devi by 10 votes to 9 after the Rajasthan High Court stayed a proposed re-poll and ordered the counting of 19 votes already cast on 21 September. The ballot box was brought out of a strongroom and counted on 26 September in compliance with the court's directions.
Why did the Rajasthan High Court intervene in the Khatushyamji election?
The court intervened following a petition filed by Vinita Poonia, a councillor from Ward 11, who challenged the authorities' decision to conduct a re-poll on 25 September. The High Court stayed the re-poll and directed that the votes already cast be counted instead.
What is the current status of the Rajasthan Deputy Mayor elections?
Deputy Mayor elections are being held in the three major municipal corporations of Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Kota. The Kota result is settled, with BJP winning unopposed. The Jaipur race between BJP's Saroj Kanwar and a Congress challenger is still being contested, with cross-voting concerns raised by both sides.
When is the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj election schedule expected?
The Rajasthan State Election Commission is reportedly expected to announce the Panchayati Raj election schedule around 30 September 2026, after which the Model Code of Conduct would come into force. The reservation process for rural local bodies has already been completed.
