Jaipur, Nov. 12 -- With the elections to Rajasthan's urban local bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions entering a crucial phase, the BJP and Congress have intensified efforts to keep their candidates together, fearing cross-voting and defections during the formation of municipal boards and the election of heads of district councils and panchayat samitis. Both parties have begun moving their candidates to hotels and resorts, reviving the practice of political confinement, commonly referred to as "badabandi", to prevent rival camps from influencing them ahead of the indirect elections. The exercise gained momentum after a brief pause during the Diwali festivities, with the parties particularly concerned about local bodies where neither side has secured a clear majority, officials from both parties familiar with the matter said. The contest is expected to be intense in municipalities, municipal councils, panchayat samitis and zila parishads where Independents and smaller parties hold the balance of power. More than 14,000 BJP and Congress candidates could come under the parties' confinement arrangements, although the figure has not been independently confirmed. Swarnim Chaturvedi, general secretary of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee, told HT, "We are bringing together around 500 Zila Parishad candidates and more than 10,000 Panchayat Samiti candidates. Those who have already contested the elections have been moved to designated locations, while the remaining candidates will be brought together after the fourth phase of polling." BJP state spokesperson Ramlal Sharma told HT, "The process of bringing candidates together at the state level will begin after the fourth phase of elections on November 14. However, candidates have already started assembling at certain locations at the district level."...