Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma mocks Congress after BJP sweeps Jodhpur civic polls
Synopsis
Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma used a Barmer rally to claim BJP's total victory over Congress in Jodhpur division's civic body elections — and to pitch a 'third engine' of Panchayats ahead of upcoming local polls. With 1.89 lakh job letters already issued and a sharp paper-leak attack on Congress, it was equal parts victory lap and election campaign opener.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma addressed a public meeting in Chohtan, Barmer on 30 September 2026 .
He claimed the BJP won public trust in Jodhpur division civic body elections while Congress suffered a complete defeat.
Sharma pitched a 'third engine' — civic bodies and Panchayats — to augment the BJP's 'double-engine government' framework.
He said 1.89 lakh appointment letters have been issued out of a promise of four lakh government jobs ; recruitment for 1.22 lakh more posts is underway.
Sharma alleged the previous Congress government presided over repeated paper leaks , while claiming none occurred during BJP's nearly three-year tenure .
He expressed confidence the BJP's 'lotus' will bloom in the upcoming Panchayati Raj elections .
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had decisively won public trust in the Jodhpur division during the recently concluded civic body elections, while the Congress suffered what he described as a complete defeat. Sharma made the remarks while addressing a public meeting in Chohtan, Barmer district.
The 'Third Engine' Pitch
Sharma used the rally to reinforce the BJP's governance narrative, arguing that grassroots development is driven primarily through civic bodies and Panchayats. He said adding a 'third engine' — in the form of civic bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions — to the existing 'double-engine government' framework would accelerate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a 'Viksit Bharat' and 'Viksit Rajasthan'. The Chief Minister reiterated this framing multiple times, tying it directly to the upcoming Panchayati Raj elections.
Sharp Attacks on Congress
Sharma alleged that Congress leaders were focused on caste and religion and were resorting to falsehoods because they had no substantive issues to raise. He claimed that appeasement and corruption remained the Congress party's primary agenda. Notably, the Chief Minister also alleged that the Congress leadership had spent more than a month stationed in Jaisalmer alone during the previous civic body election cycle, which he suggested adversely impacted development work. He further alleged that the Model Code of Conduct was invoked repeatedly under the Congress government in a way that hampered ongoing projects.
Taking direct aim at the Congress's post-election narrative, Sharma said the opposition tends to blame Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) every time it loses. He argued that the civic body results in Jodhpur division vindicated BJP's conduct and demonstrated where public trust lay — despite pre-election accusations by Congress of administrative misuse by the ruling party.
Employment Claims and BJP's Record
On jobs, Sharma launched a pointed attack on the previous Congress government, alleging that Rajasthan's youth suffered due to repeated paper leaks that shattered their aspirations. He claimed that no paper leak had occurred during the BJP government's nearly three-year tenure.
Citing employment figures, the Chief Minister said the BJP had promised four lakh government jobs to the youth of Rajasthan. Of these, appointment letters for more than 1.89 lakh posts had already been issued, recruitment for 1.22 lakh posts was currently underway, and a recruitment calendar for another 1.25 lakh posts had been released. In a jibe directed at the opposition, Sharma quipped: 'If their maths is weak, we can even arrange tuition for them.'
Eye on Panchayati Raj Elections
With the Panchayati Raj elections on the horizon, Sharma expressed confidence that voters across Rajasthan would once again reject Congress and back the BJP. He said the party's 'lotus' would bloom in the forthcoming elections as well. This comes amid a broader BJP effort to consolidate its rural base ahead of local body polls that are seen as a crucial mid-term test for the state government. Having grown up in a village, Sharma said he understood the needs of farmers and those living in poverty — a personal framing designed to reinforce his rural connect with the Barmer audience.
Point of View
With the Panchayati Raj polls clearly in view. The 'third engine' framing is politically clever — it ties local body outcomes directly to the Centre-state BJP narrative, making every gram panchayat result a referendum on Modi. However, the employment numbers warrant scrutiny: issuing appointment letters is not the same as filled posts, and the gap between 1.89 lakh letters issued and the four-lakh promise remains large. The paper-leak claim, while resonant with voters, is an assertion without an independent audit to back it — a distinction mainstream coverage tends to gloss over.
NationPress
1 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma say about the civic body elections?
Sharma claimed that the BJP secured voter trust across the Jodhpur division in the recently held civic body elections, while the Congress suffered a complete defeat. He made these remarks at a public rally in Chohtan, Barmer district, on 30 September 2026.
What is the 'third engine' concept Sharma spoke about?
Sharma described civic bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions as a 'third engine' to be added to the BJP's existing 'double-engine government' — referring to BJP governments at both the Centre and the state. He argued this would accelerate grassroots development and help realise PM Modi's 'Viksit Bharat' vision.
What employment figures did Sharma cite for Rajasthan?
Sharma said the BJP government had promised four lakh government jobs, of which appointment letters for more than 1.89 lakh posts had already been issued. Recruitment for 1.22 lakh additional posts is currently underway, and a recruitment calendar for 1.25 lakh more posts has been released.
What did Sharma allege about Congress and paper leaks?
Sharma alleged that repeated paper leaks under the previous Congress government had shattered the aspirations of Rajasthan's youth. He claimed that no paper leak had taken place during the BJP government's nearly three-year tenure in the state.
What did Sharma say about the upcoming Panchayati Raj elections?
Sharma expressed confidence that voters would once again back the BJP in the upcoming Panchayati Raj elections, saying the party's 'lotus' symbol would bloom. He framed the Jodhpur civic body results as a preview of what lies ahead for the Congress in those polls.
