A municipal election in Rajasthan’s famous pilgrimage town of Khatu Shyamji turned into a family drama, with a devrani-jethani battle, allegations of abduction and a last-minute legal twist thrown into the political contest.
Vinita Punia of the Congress won the chairperson’s election Then came the twist. The municipal chairperson election tested both political loyalties and family ties. Both parties began working to shore up their numbers and prevent defections ahead of the chairperson’s election. The Congress eventually emerged victorious, with its candidate Vinita Punia winning the post. But the road to the result was anything but straightforward. Apart from the eight councillors each of the BJP and Congress, the House had three independents and one councillor from the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP). The Congress had managed to secure the support of the lone RLP councillor, taking its tally to nine. The BJP, meanwhile, fielded Prem Devi against Congress candidate Vinita Punia. Her husband, Harlal, lodged a police complaint alleging that she was missing and had been abducted. The BJP and Lakshmi Devi’s family demanded that she be traced and brought back. The BJP also sought postponement of the election. And this is where the family drama entered the political contest. Read | Analysis | Rajasthan Civic Polls: BJP’s Big Win, Cross-Voting, Congress Infighting Lakshmi Devi and BJP candidate Prem Devi are devrani and jethani – sisters-in-law. The BJP hoped that family ties could work in its favour, with the Congress councillor potentially crossing over to support her sister-in-law, Prem Devi.
In the 20-member Khatu Shyam Municipality, the BJP and Congress had eight councillors each. A candidate needed 11 votes to secure a majority. On the day of voting, September 21, Congress councillor Lakshmi Devi from Ward No. 10 failed to turn up.
And when the votes were finally counted on Saturday at the Khatu Shyamji Municipality, the family drama ended with a political victory for the Congress. Lakshmi Devi and her family have long been associated with the Congress. The matter then moved to the Rajasthan High Court. Congress candidate Vinita Punia challenged the State Election Commission’s decision. He pointed out that although Lakshmi Devi’s husband had filed a police complaint alleging her abduction, a complaint by itself did not establish that an abduction had taken place. The allegation, he argued, required investigation. Khatu Shyamji, one of Rajasthan’s most prominent pilgrimage towns, attracts hundreds of thousands of devotees and tourists every year. But in this election, it was not just BJP versus Congress. It was also devrani versus jethani , family ties versus political loyalties – and, ultimately, a one-vote difference that decided the chairperson’s post.
The petitioner therefore sought that the election result be declared on the basis of the votes actually cast. Control of its municipal board therefore carries considerable political significance. When she did not appear to cast her vote on September 21, the BJP pressed for the election to be postponed. Acting on the demands of the BJP and the candidate’s family, the State Election Commission postponed the chairperson’s election to September 25. Her lawyer, Bahadur Singh, argued that 100% voter turnout was not mandatory for the election. The High Court found merit in the argument and directed that the decision on the chairperson’s post be taken on the basis of the 19 votes that had been cast. Congress candidate Vinita Punia secured 10 votes, while BJP’s Prem Devi received 9. With 19 votes cast, Vinita Punia was declared the chairperson of Khatu Shyamji Municipality.
She had gone to her maternal home before the day of voting, according to reports.
