Rajasthan assembly polls: BJP surges ahead of Congress to take lead

The BJP crossed the halfway mark in Rajasthan with its candidates leading in over 100 seats while the Congress was ahead in 77, according to Election Commission trends available on Sunday for the assembly polls in Rajasthan. The Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) is leading on five seats while the CPI (M) and BSP on two each. The Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) were leading on one seat each. Independent candidates are leading in nine constituencies.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, ministers Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, Tikaram Jully, Shakuntala Rawat, Brijendra Ola, Vishvendra Singh, Mahendra Jeet Singh Malvia are among the Congress candidates who are leading whereas parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal and assembly speaker CP Joshi are trailing.

Congress candidate Sachin Pilot is leading on Tonk seat with a margin of 943 votes while BJP leader and former chief minister Vasundhara Raje is leading in Jhalrapatan assembly seat with 7,025 votes.

BJP rebels Yoonus Khan (Deedwana), Chandrabhan Singh Aakya (Chittorgarh), Ravindra Singh Bhati (Sheo) are among the nine independent candidates who are leading in initial trends.

As the trends poured in, BJP candidate from Kota north Prahlad Gunjal said that the BJP is going to form the government.

"Rajasthan has given the mandate and the picture will become clear in sometime," he said.

When asked who will be the CM, he said, "This will be decided by the party high command. We have big leaders like Vasundhara Raje and we need not bring from outside."

Gunjal is contesting against parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal.

Elated over the initial trends, Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said people have voted to oust Congress from the government.

"People have failed the guarantees of Congress. They have voted to throw corrupt Congress out," Shekhawat told reporters here.

He said that the BJP will be forming the state government with a huge mandate.

Polling in 199 out of 200 assembly constituencies was held on November 25.

The election in Sriganganagar's Karanpur seat was postponed due to the death of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Koonar.

Counting of votes polled in the November 25 assembly elections in Rajasthan got underway at 8 am amid tight security arrangements.

A total of 36 counting centres have been set up 199 of the state's 200 assembly constituencies which went to poll. Election to the Sriganganagar's Karanpur seat was postponed due to the death of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Koonar.

As many as 1,862 candidates are in the fray for 199 seats.

While 30 election districts have one counting centre, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Nagaur have two centres each. "All District Election Officers, Police Commissioners and Superintendents of Police have been instructed to strictly follow the security protocol at the counting centre," CEO Gupta said.

He said that three-tier security arrangements have been ensured at the counting venue and only those with authorised passes would be able to enter.

"Separate counting halls have been made for each assembly seat at the counting centre, where as per the instructions of the Commission, tables have been arranged for counting of postal ballots and EVMs," he said.

Incumbent Congress and its rival Congress conducted intense poll campaign and are both hopeful of forming a government.

While most of pollsters predicted an edge for the BJP, three exit polls in their upper limit forecast a Congress win in the desert state.