With only a few days left for the big announcement, both the BJP and the Congress are confident of forming the government in Rajasthan with a clear majority.

Ruling out chances of a hung assembly, PCC president Govind Singh Dotasra told The Statesman the Congress will come back to power with at least 100 seats, thanks to the impactful campaigns of policies of its state leaders. BJP state president C P Joshi also exuded confidence that the party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will get 135 seats and above without doubt.

Defending his party’s 10 flagship schemes, Dotasra said Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and others led the poll campaign from the front and connected with the people.

“Modi’s face or words had no meaning in the state election. Farmers are angry with him as he did not honour his promises. Youth were not given jobs in the nine years of Modi rule. Hence, the Congress led in all directions to impress the mandate, and is most likely to secure a clear majority above 100 seats,” he said.

“There is no chance of a coalition government in the state as the Congress would show its mettle on December 3,” he asserted.

Asked about the caste equation, particularly the SC/ST/OBC/Gurjars/Jat voting pattern, the Congress state unit president said, “All castes have voted for the Ashok Gehlot government. It was Modiji who tried to annoy Gurjars by naming late Rajesh Pilot. He leveled baseless allegations like red diary and other non-issues which were imposed on the Gehlot regime.”

On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said people believe in Modi’s policies.

“Result bahoot achacha aa raha hai…Hamari bahumat se sarkar banegi… 135 seats par vijay hogi (We are expecting good results. BJP’s majority government will be formed with at least victory on 135 seats),” Joshi said.

“People will give the mandate to BJP by believing in the party and Modi. In the last five years, the Gehlot government proved useless and futile as it deceived farmers, did not do justice to youths, nor gave security to women and minor girls, and kept busy in corruption and paper leak. The public is tired of the Congress government,” he said.

“I do not see any probability of a hung assembly as the BJP is likely to win 135 seats at least. The Congress party would be reduced to 50 seats. Third party or others would also be squeezed to just 15 seats,” Joshi added.

Asked about the Muslims support to the saffron party, he said, “The BJP got support of every community regardless of caste and creed.”

Altogether 75.45 percent of 5.26 crore electorate exercised their right of franchise at 51,507 polling booth stations to elect 199 contestants out of 1875 candidates on November 25. Election on one seat of Karanpur was postponed after the Congress candidate Gurmeet Kunnar’s death early this month.

The polling turned out was about 0.74 percent more than the voting reported in the 2018 assembly polls. The counting of votes would begin in all district headquarters in Rajasthan on December 3.