Rajasthan: Cong delegation to meet governor at 7 PM

A Congress delegation will meet Governor Kalyan Singh at 7 PM Wednesday to stake claim on government in Rajasthan.

The governor has given an appointment to a Congress delegation at 7 PM today, Raj Bhawan sources said.

The delegation led by the chief ministerial candidate, to be decided by party president Rahul Gandhi on the basis of feedback from the MLAs, will call on the governor and stake claim to form government.

The contenders for the chief minister's post are Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, both of whom won huge victories in their constituencies.

"We have full majority and will stake claim to form government in the evening. We will take along all non-BJP parties and elected members who are against BJP and are willing to support us," Pilot told reporters at the Pradesh Congress Committee before the Congress Legislative Party meeting.

Asked about the choice of the chief minister, Pilot said the party's newly elected MLAs will debate the question, and the party president will take a decision after that. AICC General Secretary Avinash Pande and party's observer K C Venugopal will seek individual opinion of the party MLAs in the meeting.

The Congress emerged as the single largest party in Rajasthan in Tuesday's vote count, winning 99 seats. Its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one seat for a total of 100 seats -- the required number to form government.

The BJP got 73 seats, and the Bahujan Samaj Party won 6 seats. BSP leader Mayawati on Wednesday pledged support for the Congress. The CPI(M) got two seats, Independents won 13 and other parties got 6, according to the state Election Commission.