Party settles on experienced councillor after preference polling and hotel deliberations
Jaipur — The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has named Sunil Kothari, representative of Ward 112, as its candidate for the Jaipur Municipal Corporation mayoral election, the party announced on Friday after consultations at the Chief Minister’s Residence (CMR), according to IANS.
The decision followed a process in which BJP councillors from Jaipur were asked to indicate their preferences for the mayoral nominee. Each councillor submitted three names in order of preference, and deliberations continued into the evening while councillors were moved to The Surya Golden Palace hotel in Pushkar. Party sources said Kothari was brought back to Jaipur from the group after his candidature was finalised.
- Sunil Kothari represents Ward 112 and has previously served as the BJP's Jaipur city president and held several organisational responsibilities.
- Other names under consideration included Puneet Karnawat (Ward 76), the outgoing deputy mayor, and Subhash Singhi (Ward 98).
- Discussion within the party considered seniority, organisational experience and community representation in settling on the candidate.
Sunil Kothari was brought back to Jaipur from the group.
According to the IANS report, the party's internal discussions factored in the community background of potential nominees. Earlier selections in other Rajasthan municipal corporations — the report notes Udaipur and Jodhpur developments — had seen Jain community candidates, prompting deliberations in Jaipur about whether to select a candidate from a different community. Within Jaipur, some city MLAs were reportedly backing Subhash Singhi, while Puneet Karnawat’s name was also viewed as a viable alternative during the consultations.
The internal preference exercise and the staging of deliberations at an off-site hotel underlined the BJP's intent to reach a consensus through councillor feedback and senior leadership input. Kothari's organisational experience and prior role as Jaipur city president appear to have strengthened his standing during these discussions.
| Contender | Ward | Position / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sunil Kothari | Ward 112 | Former Jaipur city BJP president; selected candidate |
| Puneet Karnawat | Ward 76 | Outgoing deputy mayor; was among names considered |
| Subhash Singhi | Ward 98 | Contender reportedly backed by some city MLAs |
The Congress, meanwhile, has reportedly asked two of its councillors — Sunita Mawar (Ward 118) and Bharat Meghwal (Ward 84) — to remain ready to file their nomination papers, signalling preparedness for the mayoral contest, the same report said.
For Jaipur residents, the selection of the mayoral candidate matters beyond party politics. The mayor's office shapes priorities on urban services such as water supply, drainage, solid waste management and heritage conservation in a city where tourism, historical precincts and rapid urban growth intersect. The BJP's choice of Kothari, with organisational experience in the city unit, suggests the party is placing weight on administrative familiarity and internal seniority as it prepares for the municipal poll.
As the contest develops, attention will turn to formal nomination filings, cross-party manoeuvring and how community considerations influence final ticketing across Rajasthan's municipal corporations. The BJP's announcement is the first clear signal of its strategy in Jaipur; further developments, including the Congress’s candidate moves, will determine the dynamics of the mayoral race.
Reporting for this dispatch is based on the IANS account of the BJP's internal process and the party's consultations at the Chief Minister’s Residence.
