Jaipur, Sept. 13 -- The contest for control over Rajasthan's municipal bodies has shifted from polling booths to keeping candidates together, with the BJP and Congress moving them to hotels, resorts and other locations ahead of the counting of votes on September 14, with such exercises underway in around 250 of the state's 309 civic bodies, according to people privy to the details in both parties. While Congress leaders have expressed fears of horse-trading, the BJP is seeking to prevent possible cross-voting in the elections for mayors and chairpersons. Councillors elected on September 14 will vote to elect mayors and chairpersons on September 21, while elections for deputy mayors and vice-chairpersons will be held the following day. With a large number of independents in the fray, both parties have also begun reaching out to candidates who could play a decisive role in closely contested bodies. The BJP, which moved first in several places, has described the gatherings as "training camps" and "religious trips". In Jaipur, BJP candidates were called to the party's city office on Saturday and later taken in buses to undisclosed locations. Separate buses were arranged for candidates from different assembly constituencies. Some candidates said they had been asked to bring enough belongings to remain away until September 22. Similar arrangements have been made in several other districts. In Sanchore municipality in Jalore, all 35 BJP candidates were taken to a resort in Gujarat by a private bus on Friday night. Insiders said candidates from some other border districts as Udaipur had also been moved to Gujarat. In Ajmer, several BJP candidates reached the residence of MLA Anita Bhadel on Saturday morning, while some had been taken to Pushkar after voting ended on Friday. The party moved its candidates from Pali to Jodhpur the same night. BJP candidates from Rawatbhata municipality in Chittorgarh were moved out of the town after polling on September 9. A video purportedly showing some of them in a swimming pool has also surfaced. In Jodhpur, BJP candidates were called to the party office on Friday night and asked to bring extra clothes. After dinner, they were divided into groups and taken to undisclosed destinations in luxury buses. BJP state president Madan Rathore, however, denied that the party was confining its candidates. "The practice of confinement was started by the Congress. When it was in power, Ashok Gehlot confined his MLAs, while Sachin Pilot did the same with his supporters," Rathore said. He claimed the BJP was holding training camps to familiarise candidates and workers with public service and the functioning of local bodies. The Congress has also begun moving candidates at the district level, although its state leadership is yet to adopt a uniform strategy. In Jaipur, the party is preparing to keep its 150 candidates together. A strategy meeting was held on Saturday at city Congress president Sunil Sharma's residence, party insiders said. Former minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, opposition whip in assembly Rafiq Khan, legislator Amin Kagzi and other senior leaders attended the meeting. A final decision on shifting the candidates is expected by Saturday night or Sunday morning. Party leaders said sitting MLAs and candidates from the last assembly elections had been asked to remain in contact with civic poll candidates in their respective areas. The candidates could also be moved outside Jaipur if required. MLA Rafiq Khan alleged that the BJP could use government machinery, police and money to influence councillors after the results. "We will not take any decision in haste. We will first speak to our candidates and then decide the next course of action," Khan said. He added that the seven-day gap between the vote counting and the mayoral election made it necessary to keep the councillors together. He claimed that the Congress would secure a majority in Jaipur and form the municipal board, with the BJP finishing behind the Congress and independents. District president Sharma said all 150 Congress candidates in Jaipur remained firmly with the party. He added that the Congress could consider taking back rebels willing to return. In Ajmer, the Congress called its candidates to the party office on Saturday. After a meeting with senior leaders, 78 candidates were taken to Pushkar in two buses. In Pali, Congress candidates, including women accompanied by family members, were moved to Jaipur. In Sikar, the party first assembled its candidates at a marriage garden on Rani Sati Road before taking them out of the city by bus. However, the Congress is following a wait-and-watch approach in several other major municipal bodies. District-level meetings were held on Saturday to decide whether candidates should be shifted. People in both parties said the purpose of the exercise was to keep candidates together during and after counting. Once the results are declared, losing candidates are expected to be sent home, while the winners could remain at designated locations until the elections for mayors, chairpersons and their deputies are completed. With close contests expected in several municipal bodies, even a small group of independents or rebels could determine which party forms the board. Both parties are therefore seeking to keep their candidates out of their rivals' reach while simultaneously opening channels of communication with potential winners outside their ranks....