BJP routed in Rajasthan, Congress bags 19 seats

After storming to power in Rajasthan five months ago, the Congress maintained its winning streak bagging 19 Lok Sabha seats in the state today, inflicting a crushing blow on its arch-foe BJP.

The BJP, which had pocketed 21 seats in 2004 Lok Sabha polls, suffered an ignominious rout this time managing to retain only four seats.

In nine constituencies, its candidates were drubbed by a margin of over 100,000 votes.

The result of the Tonk-Sawaimadhopur seat was delayed due to a snag in an Electronic Voting Machine. Union Minister Namonarayan Meena was leading by 472 votes against BJP’s Kirorisingh Bainsla, who had spearheaded the Gujjar stir in the state, when the snag occurred.

Elated over the Congress’ performance, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot today said the outcome showed the Manmohan Singh government had delivered goods and would continue to do so under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, Gehlot said amidst bursting of crackers at his residence.

The verdict was an endorsement of welfare-oriented policies pursued by the Prime Minister, he said.

Gehlot also used the opportunity to flay the BJP for targeting Manmohan Singh by consistently describing him as a weak Prime Minister during campaigning.

Among the top Congress candidates who won in the elections, Sachin Pilot bagged the Ajmer seat, beating his nearest rival Kiran Maheshwari of the BJP by over 76,000 votes.

Raje accepts defeat
Reacting to the BJP’s drubbing, senior party leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said “...we accept the verdict with all humility”.

Asked to spell out reasons for BJP’s poor show, she said “...we bow before the people’s verdict”.