Rajasthan civic polls: Police lathi-charge Congress workers in Degana over Kuchera nomination row
Synopsis
Rajasthan's municipal elections have turned volatile — police lathi-charged Congress workers in Degana over a nomination dispute, arrested the local Congress block president, and separately deployed protective escorts for Congress councillors after alleged vehicle-ramming attempts in Kuchera, where a single vote separates the two camps in the race for the Chairperson's post.
Key Takeaways
Police lathi-charged Congress workers in Degana, Rajasthan on the night of 18 September 2026 over alleged nomination irregularities for the Kuchera Municipal Council Chairperson post.
Congress block president Prakash Kunkuna was arrested during the police action at the SDM office .
PCC president Govind Singh Dotasra accused the BJP of misusing state power in the municipal elections.
Congress-backed councillors were allegedly targeted in a vehicle-ramming attempt near Jhunjhala ; they were later escorted to Nagaur under police protection.
Kuchera Municipality stands at 12-12 between Congress and BJP-plus-independents; a majority requires 13 votes, making a single Congress vote the decisive factor.
Police in Degana, Rajasthan lathi-charged Indian National Congress workers late on Thursday, 18 September 2026, after a sit-in protest outside the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) office over alleged irregularities in the nomination process for the Kuchera Municipal Council Chairperson post escalated into a confrontation. The incident has deepened political tensions ahead of the municipal council elections, with Congress leaders accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led administration of misusing state machinery.
How the Clash Unfolded
Congress workers gathered outside the SDM office, demanding an inquiry into the nomination process and action against the Returning Officer, alleging that facts were concealed during the filing of nomination papers for the Kuchera Chairperson post. A police team led by Station House Officer (SHO) Ashok Kumar Jhajharia arrived at the scene and invoked the Model Code of Conduct to urge protesters to disperse.
When the Congress workers refused to end the sit-in, an altercation broke out, followed by a scuffle. Police then used a lathi-charge to clear the area, chasing away several youths in the process. The police action caused widespread chaos around the SDM office, the Tehsil office, and surrounding areas. In the melee, Congress block president Prakash Kunkuna was arrested.
Congress Condemns Police Action
Congress workers immediately raised slogans against the police, alleging that protesters were beaten during the night and that the administration was acting under political pressure. Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Govind Singh Dotasra was promptly informed of the developments, and Nagaur District Congress president Hanuman Bangda reached the spot.
Dotasra condemned the police action, alleging that the BJP was 'misusing power to form boards in the municipal elections.' He stated that Congress workers in Degana were seeking a fair hearing on objections against a BJP candidate over alleged concealment of facts in nomination papers. He also raised incidents in Mandhan — where he alleged elected councillors were being prevented from taking their oaths — and in Khandar, where he alleged the family of BJP councillor Manvendra was seeking his release after he was reportedly taken away. Dotasra said the pattern raised questions about the conduct of the police, administration, and the state government.
Kuchera Power Tussle: A Razor-Thin Majority
Kuchera Municipality has 12 Congress and 8 BJP councillors. Four independents have reportedly extended support to the BJP camp, bringing its tally to 12 — one short of the 13 required for a majority. A single vote, currently with the Congress side, has emerged as the decisive swing in the Chairperson's election.
Tensions around the power contest further escalated on Thursday when, following the oath-taking ceremony, individuals allegedly attempted to stop vehicles carrying Congress-backed councillors near Jhunjhala as they were travelling to Nagaur under the leadership of outgoing Chairperson Tejpal Mirdha. According to allegations, a pickup truck and a camper vehicle were used in attempts to ram the councillors' vehicles.
Police Deployment and Protective Escort
The councillors managed to escape and reached the office of Mundwa DSP, where they filed a report. They were subsequently escorted to Nagaur under police protection led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Dharam Poonia. A separate police contingent led by DSP Jatin Jain was deployed outside Tejpal Mirdha's vehicle showroom on Bikaner Road as a precautionary measure.
The back-to-back incidents in Degana and Kuchera reflect a pattern of escalating friction in Rajasthan's municipal poll cycle, with both sides accusing the other of subverting democratic processes. The outcome of the Kuchera Chairperson election — hinging on a single vote — is expected to be closely watched across the state.
Point of View
Taken together, suggest that Rajasthan's municipal polls are becoming a proxy battleground for state-level political dominance — with local administration and police caught in the crossfire of competing pressure. The BJP's reliance on four independents to reach parity in Kuchera exposes the brittleness of its municipal arithmetic; when a single vote decides a chairperson, every procedural objection becomes a high-stakes manoeuvre. Congress's immediate escalation to the PCC president and the overnight media blitz follows a well-worn script, but the arrest of a sitting block president during a civic-code protest is exactly the kind of optic that can harden voter sentiment in subsequent rounds. Whether the nomination irregularities are real or tactical is the question the courts — not the police — should ultimately answer.
NationPress
18 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did police lathi-charge Congress workers in Degana?
Police lathi-charged Congress workers in Degana on the night of 18 September 2026 after they refused to end a sit-in protest outside the SDM office demanding an inquiry into alleged irregularities in the Kuchera Municipal Council Chairperson nomination process. The police cited the Model Code of Conduct and attempted to persuade the crowd to disperse before the situation escalated into a scuffle.
Who was arrested during the Degana protest?
Congress block president Prakash Kunkuna was arrested by police during the dispersal of the protest outside the SDM office in Degana. Congress leaders condemned the arrest and demanded his release, alleging that the administration was acting under political pressure from the BJP.
What is the Kuchera Municipal Council Chairperson election dispute about?
The Congress has alleged that a BJP candidate concealed facts in nomination papers for the Kuchera Municipal Council Chairperson post and demanded that the Returning Officer be held accountable. The municipality has 12 Congress and 8 BJP councillors; four independents backing the BJP bring its tally to 12, one short of the 13 required for a majority, making the contest extremely tight.
What happened to Congress councillors near Jhunjhala?
Following the oath-taking ceremony on Thursday, individuals allegedly attempted to block and ram vehicles carrying Congress-backed councillors near Jhunjhala as they travelled to Nagaur under outgoing Chairperson Tejpal Mirdha. The councillors escaped, reported the incident to the Mundwa DSP, and were subsequently escorted to Nagaur under police protection led by DSP Dharam Poonia.
What did Congress PCC president Govind Singh Dotasra say about the incidents?
Dotasra condemned the police lathi-charge in Degana and accused the BJP of misusing state power to influence municipal board formations. He also alleged that elected councillors were being prevented from taking oaths in Mandhan and raised the case of BJP councillor Manvendra in Khandar, saying the pattern questioned the impartiality of the police and administration.
