The result of the urban local body polls in Rajasthan pointed to a notable, though limited, entry of Gen Z candidates into the state’s local government.
The result of the urban local body polls in Rajasthan pointed to a notable, though limited, entry of Gen Z candidates into the state’s local government.
Six of them — four from the Congress and two from the BJP — won, meaning Gen Z councillors will account for around four per cent of the Jaipur civic body. Merely reporting about people’s problems was not enough, she felt, prompting her to seek a more direct role in public life. In the Jaipur Municipal Corporation elections, 18 Gen Z candidates were fielded by the BJP and Congress in the 150 wards that went to polls. The Congress fielded twice as many Gen Z candidates as the BJP, with 12 candidates compared to the BJP’s six. Among the youngest Gen Z winners in Jaipur is 21-year-old Congress candidate Faiz Hasan from Ward 71, who defeated 39-year-old Independent candidate Mohammad Salim. BJP’s Palak Yadav, also 21, won Ward 10, defeating 39-year-old Congress candidate Vandana Jakhar. Another closely watched contest was in Ward 115, where 29-year-old BJP candidate Suraj Godiwal defeated 67-year-old Congress candidate Suresh Biwal by 1,063 votes. The result marked a generational contrast, with Godiwal being 38 years younger than his rival.
As a journalist, Sharma said she saw villagers and farmers travelling to Jaipur and waiting for hours for politicians or outside government offices to get their grievances addressed.
