India, Oct. 22 -- Rajasthan Panchayat Elections 2026: Rajasthan's rural political landscape entered a crucial electoral phase on Thursday, October 22, as millions of voters headed to polling stations to elect representatives for local governing bodies. The first phase of the Panchayati Raj elections covers 16 Zila Parishads and 104 Panchayat Samitis, with 85.07 lakh eligible voters deciding the outcome across thousands of polling stations.

The contest has placed the BJP and Congress in competition for local influence, while regional parties and independent candidates are also competing for local influence.

In the run-up to polling, Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa raised allegations about the use of police and administrative ma...