BJP gets absolute majority in Rajasthan

Jaipur: Vasundhara Raje led BJP secured 162 of the total 200 seats up for grabs. Amidst tight security and high expectations from the BJP camp, counting began for the 200 member Assembly elections for the Rajasthan Assembly morning. 

Counting is being held for 199 seats as one seat was countermanded following the death of a candidate.

07.12 PM

Rajasthan's Congress president Chandrabhan was defeated by independent candidate Narendar Kumar on Mandawa constituency with a margin of 17,118 votes. Out of the six candidates in race for the assembly seat, Chandraban, with 15,815 votes, stood fourth. Chandrabhan also resigned from the PCC post after the party's defeat in the state assembly polls.

05.55 PM

BJP's Yashodhara Raje Scindia wins from Shivpuri seat by a margin of 11,145 votes by defeating her nearest rival Birendra Singh of Congress.

NPP Convener Kirori Lal Meena won from Lalsot seat in Dausa district defeating his nearest rival Parsadi Lal Meena (Congress) by a margin of 491 votes.

3.45 PM

Rajasthan PCC chief resigns

Jaipur: Accepting moral responsibility for defeat of ruling Congress in Rajasthan, PCC chief Chandrabhan on Sunday resigned. Chandrabhan, who contested the assembly election from Mandawa in Jhunjhunu and was trailing at fourth position, tendered his resignation to the AICC President Sonia Gandhi.

"He accepted moral responsibility for the defeat and resigned as the PCC Chief," party spokesperson said.

2.00 PM

Ashok Gehlot concedes defeat, to tender resignation to Governor Margaret Alva at 7 pm

1.30 PM

Read here: Grand return to power for Vasundhara Raje

11.50 AM:

Vasundhara Raje leading from her home constituency of Jhalarapatan

Spoke to Vasundhara ji & congratulated her for the historic victory of BJP in Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha elections, tweets Modi

11.45 AM

'Undercurrent' worked against Congress: Gehlot

Jaipur: An 'undercurrent' seems to have worked against Congress in Rajasthan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot conceded on Sunday, saying though the welfare schemes of his government were good the opposition had managed to create an 'incorrect' impression in the minds of the voter.

"If there is an undercurrent, there is no counter to it. I feel as the results are coming, that the public has voted on the basis of an undercurrent," Gehlot told reporters as election result trends showed his party losing power.

He said BJP state President Vasundhara Raje got votes in the name of Narendra Modi, BJP's PM candidate. "She (Raje) sought votes in the name of NaMo (Modi) and I consider that it was not her victory in Rajasthan polls", he said. 

Read here: 42 SUVs ready for new MLAs in Rajasthan

Gehlot said that his party had provided good governance and also benefitted the people through its schemes.

"Whether you talk about inflation or the false charges that were levelled, in Rajasthan BJP could never dare to compare its rule with ours. We tried that development should be the issue in Rajasthan. Our campaign focussed on which government had done what," he said.

He added that his party was unsuccessful in making these the election issues and the opposition levelled false accusations but did not talk of development.

Gehlot said that the schemes implemented by his government were so good that officials from other states were visiting Rajasthan to study them.

"They created a false impression and people felt that all the schemes had only been put into place at the election time. But you are witness, what we have done in the past years," Gehlot said.

He further said that implemention of a schemes was a time consuming process. 

11. 15 PM

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot leading in his Sardarpura constituency of Jodhpur district

Results in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan not up to our expectations: Union Minister Rajiv Shukla

9.10 AM:

BJP set to capture Rajasthan

Keeping in tune with the tradition of voting out incumbent governments, Rajasthan is going to witness a change of governance in Jaipur.

But the news is that the change comes with a massive BJP wave sweeping across regions, giving an indication that the Narendra Modi wave seems to have worked. With the BJP surging ahead, Vasundhara Raje Scindia is all set to be the next Chief Minister.

Some of the constituencies in which BJP candidates are leading are Aspur, Bhilwara, Mandal, Pindwara-Abu, and Udaipur district against their nearest rivals of Congress.

The Congress seems to be fairing pretty badly despite a slew of welfare measures like free medicines for the poor.

The Congress claims, especially that of party’s vice president Rahul Gandhi, of the Centre bringing out pro-poor legislations have not cut much ice.

The question is will BJP attribute the victory in Rajasthan to their prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and will the Congress place the reasons for the loss at Rahul Gandhi’s doorsteps.