We are in touch with parties which contested against BJP: Sachin Pilot

Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot on Tuesday said his party is in touch with all those who fought the assembly elections on the anti-BJP plank to bring them together and form a "people's government."

Addressing a press conference here, Pilot said the verdict was against the ruling party in the state -- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -- as it is likely to lose almost 100 seats as compared to its tally in the last Assembly elections.

"Those who fought against the BJP, they should come together as the mandate is against the BJP. All those parties which are against the BJP at the Centre and in the state, we are in touch with them," Pilot said.

He, however, expressed confidence that the Congress will get a majority on its own in the state. "I am sure of getting a majority. But we want to not just form a Congress government but a people's government," he said.

Pilot said there was momentum against the BJP in the country and it should be carried to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

He said the newly-elected Congress MLAs will meet on Wednesday to choose the leader of the legislature party.

The Congress leader said that despite the likely loss of a large number of seats, the BJP was still desperate to form a government in the state but will not succeed.

"You should remember that the BJP won 165 seats in the last elections in the state and now there is loss of nearly 100 seats. If this is not defeat then what is," Pilot wanted to know.

The latest Election Commission figures from Rajasthan show Congress leading in 99 constituencies, BJP has won one seat and is leading in 73 others, Independents are leading in 14, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in five, Communist Party of India-Marxist in two and Bharatiya Tribal Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal in one each of the 199 seats for which the trends are available.

Election in the Ramgarh constituency was countermanded due to the death of BSP candidate Laxman Singh.

--IANS

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