Jaipur, Sept. 22 -- Allegations that councillors were stopped from reaching polling venues, clashes between BJP and Congress workers and confrontations involving party leaders and police overshadowed Monday's elections for mayors, chairpersons and presidents in 273 urban local bodies across Rajasthan. The sharpest dispute emerged ahead of the Tijara Municipal Council chairperson election in Khairthal-Tijara district, where Congress leaders alleged that Haryana Police stopped 18 Congress and Congress-backed Independent councillors near the Chandimandir toll plaza in Panchkula as they returned from Himachal Pradesh. Congress workers protested in Pinjore and Tijara. Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully said he had spoken to the State Election Commission and submitted written complaints to it and the Election Commission of India. "If elections are to be conducted in this manner, why hold them at all?" he asked. Jully accused the BJP of using every means to secure control of civic bodies and said the allegations had damaged the reputation of the police and administration. "Police personnel themselves tell me that the respect they earned over their entire careers has been lost in a single election," he said. Tijara DSP Shivraj Singh said police had received a complaint and were trying to locate the councillors and establish who had stopped them. "We are trying to find out where the councillors are and will take whatever legal action is required," he said. The Rajasthan High Court declined to intervene directly in the Tijara election and directed the sub-divisional magistrate to submit a report on the incident to election authorities, which would decide whether the election should proceed. A petition before the court accused MLA Baba Balaknath of forcibly restraining opposition councillors. In Alwar's Malakheda, Jully confronted police officers over the entry of BJP chairperson candidate Puran Chand Meena into the voting area, questioning how he was allowed through the barricade and alleging police favouritism. At Paota municipality in Jaipur Rural, BJP MLA Kuldeep Dhankad and former Congress MLA Indraj Gurjar had a heated exchange near the polling venue. Supporters of the two parties pushed each other and raised slogans before police intervened. During the confrontation, Dhankad told Gurjar, "You are a former MLA; I am the sitting MLA here." Gurjar replied, "I have been an MLA too, and you will soon be a former MLA." Dhankad responded, "Do what you can. Everything here will be done according to the rules." Gurjar later staged a sit-in outside the tehsil and municipal offices, alleging police and local administration were acting under BJP pressure. In Sri Vijaynagar, a crowd gathered after allegations that Congress councillors travelling to the election venue had been stopped near Bajuwala. Amid unconfirmed reports of firing, police used mild force when people attempted to breach a barricade. Raisinghnagar DSP Hanuman Singh said three or four teams were deployed to investigate allegations that shots were fired and councillors were taken away. "The allegation of firing could be confirmed only after the teams completed their investigation," he said. A police officer was reportedly injured. Polling was extended until 8pm. Confrontations were also reported in Neemrana and Bamanwas. At Khatushyamji, the absence of Congress councillor Lakshmi Devi prompted her family to allege she had been kidnapped, following which BJP and Congress supporters clashed. DGP Rajeev Sharma told HT it was police's duty to take lawful action on any complaint. "Wherever complaints related to councillors were received in the state, the police acted in accordance with the law... Every enquiry or the investigation is being taken up under the supervision of the concerned SP considering all available facts and evidence."...