Jaipur, Feb 2 (IANS): Delivering a shock to the ruling Congress in Rajasthan, 17 NCP councillors who won the local municipal polls from Tonk district's Niwai, joined the BJP, thereby boosting the BJP's lead by one more seat and pushing its winning count to 25.

This limits the ruling Congress to 19 seats in the local polls held for 90 seats in the desert state on Thursday.

The local municipal board polls have become a prestige issue for the ruling Congress as well as the BJP who are struggling hard to form their boards on maximum seats.

While the BJP won 24 seats in the local polls held on 90 seats in desert state, the Congress, it seems was confident of forming seats on maximum number banking its hopes on independents who have been the real kingmakers on remaining seats.

Congress Rajasthan in-charge Ajay Maken opined that the party will form its board on around 52 seats while BJP state president Satish Poonia questioned his claim, saying as BJP won 24 seats so how could Congress form its boards on 52 seats.

The NCP councillors are rebels from Congress who left the ruling party and joined NCP and now have merged with BJP in the state.

Political sources confirmed that both Congress and BJP are making extra efforts to form their boards in at least 45 units out of 90. Eventually, councillors are being herded together where they shall have to stay till February 7 when polling for the chairperson takes place.

Out of 90, BJP and Congress share equal numbers on at least six seats and therefore there is threat of cross voting. So both parties have herded their candidates together to prevent cross voting.