Once again Rajasthan was poised to stick to its time-tested tradition of changing government every five years with the BJP inching back to power in the state.

With this, the Congress’ dream of returning to power for a second successive term stands shattered.

In the past five decades, the state maintained a trend of giving one term to the Congress and another to the BJP. However, only on two occasions, the state broke the trend. Once in 1985, when the Congress government, led by former CM Hardeo Joshi, was repeated, and in 1993, when the BJP led by Bhairon Singh Shekhawat retained power.

Rejecting the Congress government’s 10 flagship schemes and seven guarantees, the voters seem to have given a mandate most likely choosing the ‘Modi Face’, hence the Lotus victory in the state. Congress’ poll campaign on ‘caste survey or census’ and Modi-Adani friendship speeches paid no dividends to the Gehlot Government.

Out of a total of 114 seats where the BJP is making an upward trend, the party won on 43 seats so far at 4:30 pm while the Congress won on 23 seats, BAP 2, and BSP and Independent on one seat each.

Of the seven BJP MPs, who were fielded in the assembly polls, only four were leading by a high margin to win the race, whereas Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLTP) and Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal are also leading with a margin of 3848 votes.

BJP’s Rajsamand MP won the Vidhyadhar Nagar (Jaipur) seat, Mahant Balaknath, Alwar MP, won the Tizara assembly seat, RajyaVardhan Singh Rathore, Jaipur Rural MP won the Jhotwara seat, Kirorilal Meena, RS MP, won the Sawaimadhopur seat whereas BJP’s three MPs Bhagirath Choudhary from Kishangarh, Narendra Kumar form Jhunjhunu, and Dev Patel from Sanchore were trailing against the Congress candidates.

Among the 25 ministers of the Gehlot Government, 17 were still trailing behind BJP candidates. Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Dr CP Joshi from Nathdwara, and Cabinet Minister Prataph Singh Khachariawas from the Civil Lines (Jaipur) lost the poll battle.

BJP’s Satish Poonia, former state party president and the Leader of Opposition (BJP) R S Rathore are trailing behind Congress candidate Narendra Bhudania by a margin of 8,705 votes at 18 out of 19 rounds of counting.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot won the Sardarpura assembly seat defeating BJP’s Mahendra Rathore by a margin of 26,396 votes. Sachin Pilot retained his Tonk seat by defeating BJP’s Ajit Singh Mehta by a margin of 29475 votes. PCC President Govind Singh Dotasra also led by a margin of 14,180 votes at the 18 out of 24 rounds of counting.

Former BJP chief minister Vasundhara Raje won the Jhalrapatan assembly seat by defeating her nearest rival, Congress candidate RamLal, by a margin of 53,193 votes. She has got 1,8831 votes.
Meanwhile, the PCC President Dotasara announced the CLP meeting in Jaipur on Wednesday.