On the eve of the high-stakes elections to the 150-seat Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC), the streets of the city are flooded with loudspeaker-fitted vehicles, which have been deployed by the contenders, especially the ruling BJP and the principal Opposition Congress, as well as the candidates for their last-minute campaign push.Deviating from its move not to field any Muslim candidates in the 2023 Assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Rajasthan, the BJP has fielded eight Muslim faces for the JMC polls. The tasks of these BJP candidates are cut out.Ramping up their canvassing, they leave their houses now at 8.30 am every day to meet people or to hold rallies in their respective wards. In the evening, they undertake roadshows in open jeeps.All these candidates have been fielded by the BJP in the Muslim-dominated wards. “The composition of the electorate was considered before finalising the candidates. We will do well as Muslims will vote for development. The BJP is confident of its efforts,” said state BJP spokesperson Ramlal Sharma.The BJP’s candidate in ward 128, Majid Khan, has been associated with the state party unit’s Minority Morcha for several years. He says the party has rewarded his “18 years of work”.“I am very proud of working for the BJP that has worked for the development of the people. I have been an active party member of this municipal ward for a long time and I am sure I will win,” claims Majid.Several residents of this ward – where Muslims account for a majority of its voters – seem to have positive views about him, although they say that they are not among the BJP supporters.Story continues below this ad“We have no problem with Majid bhai. He has been working for the community for a long time but voting for BJP is not acceptable to us,” says Shamsher Khan, sitting at a local tea stall.Some other people there object to his remark, saying: “Majid may win the election. But municipal polls are won on the basis of a candidate’s personal work, not any political ideology.”Apart from Majid, the party has nominated Shahnawaz Ansari (ward no.19), Zakir Khan (109), Fariuddin (113), Shabab Jahan (117), Mijana Mirza (136), Rayees Mansuri (137), and Afsana (146).In ward 136, Mijana seems to be busy meeting the voters. Her husband Mohammad Qayyum interacts with people at her ward office located in the Hawa Mahal Assembly constituency, which is represented by Balmukundacharya.Story continues below this adA BJP MLA, Balmukundacharya has been involved in various rows in the past, including for his polarising remarks.Mijana’s office displays banners everywhere featuring her photos with Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and Balmukundacharya.Qayyum defends Balmukundacharya, claiming that “he has done a lot for Muslims”. Showing a video of a woman on Mijana’s Instagram handle, he says: “She is a resident of Congress MLA Rafiq Khan’s constituency (Adarsh Nagar). Her husband left her for another woman and refused to take care of their child. Balmukundacharya intervened in the matter and now the husband is ready to give compensation to her. I understand that some of his speeches might not have been seen in a positive light by the Muslim community but he has always helped Muslims who asked for his help.”However, several residents of the ward seem to be sceptical of Mijana’s prospects, saying that only the Congress candidate or an Independent may sail through. “Muslims here would not vote for Balmukundacharya’s party,” says a voter.Story continues below this adWhile similar voices were heard in wards 113, 117 and 137, a number of people there see the BJP’s Muslim candidates in a favourable light.Of its eight Muslim candidates, only one has been renominated by the BJP for this JMC election: Shahnawaz Ansari, who is contesting from the ward 19. He says the party has given tickets to the people who have been active on the ground.“I got the party ticket in the 2020 JMC election as well and lost by just a few hundred votes. This year I have been working hard and trying to project the BJP’s image among the public. With the BJP in the state and at the Centre, a BJP Mayor and ward councillors will be able to help people more than any other party. This will be a triple engine sarkar in Jaipur,” he says.“So many policies of the central government have benefited both Hindus and Muslims. There is no reason for Muslims to not vote for BJP,” Shahnawaz says, exuding confidence about his prospects this time.Story continues below this adAlong with the JMC, the polling in the urban local bodies across the state are scheduled for September 9 and 11. The counting of votes will take place on September 14.2020 polls in JMCsThe JMC was bifurcated by the previous Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government – the 150-seat JMC Greater and the 100-seat JMC Heritage – which had gone to the polls in November 2020. The BJP had then given tickets to 13 Muslims from the JMC Heritage, which encompassed the old city, while fielding only one Muslim candidate, Shahnawaz Ansari, from the JMC Greater.The sole Muslim BJP candidate who had won then was Rayees Qureshi from ward 88. While the Congress had won the JMC Heritage polls, the BJP had clinched the JMC Greater.After coming to power in December 2023, the BJP government merged the two JMCs into a single 150-member civic body in October 2025.