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Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, along with his family members, cast his vote during the second phase of the Rajasthan local body elections in Jodhpur on Friday.
Speaking to reporters after exercising his franchise, the Union Minister expressed confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party is heading toward a massive victory, asserting that the parties relying on vote-bank and appeasement politics have been marginalised in the state. "Voting is as much a significant duty as it is a major right. For a healthy, vigilant, and capable democracy, casting one's vote is undoubtedly a profound responsibility. When voting, an individual should examine and understand the ideology and ultimate goals of the party they are supporting, consider the relevance and suitability of the times, and assess the qualifications of the specific candidate before casting their ballot... As the public has begun to vote with a focus on development and a broader perspective, parties that relied on vote-bank and appeasement politics have been marginalised. Instead, the people of the nation and the state are extending their support to those who champion the politics of development... This time, the Bharatiya Janata Party is certain to achieve a resounding victory," said Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Alongside Union Minister Gajendra Shekhawat, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and state Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani also cast their votes in Jodhpur and Ajmer, respectively. Speaking to reporters, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot emphasized that democracy should be further strengthened in the country and expressed hope that the Congress party will win with a huge margin. "...These are municipal elections, covering municipalities, municipal councils, and municipal corporations across the country. We want to strengthen the democratic framework established by the Constitution, whereas some people are trying to weaken it. That is why our endeavor is to strengthen the democratic system... They have not done any work... The condition of the cities is very poor... We hope that Congress will win with a huge margin..." said Gehlot. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani asserted that the development work carried out over the past two and a half years in the constituency will have a positive impact on the outcomes of the civic body polls. "Certainly, the work done over the past 2.5 years in the constituency will have a positive impact... One nation, one election is a useful concept. This will prevent the repeated imposition of the Model Code of Conduct and avoid disruptions to development work," Devnani told ANI. Polling for the second and final phase of the Rajasthan Urban Local Body Elections 2026 commenced on Friday morning, with voting underway across six municipal corporations, 20 municipal councils and 121 municipalities. It is being held from 7 am to 6 pm across 147 municipal bodies. A total of 18,266 candidates are contesting the elections, with an estimated 87.60 lakh voters eligible to participate. The counting of votes is scheduled for September 14. (ANI)
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