Cong confident of forming govt in Rajasthan: Pilot

As Congress is ahead of the ruling BJP in Rajasthan, Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot said that his party is confident of forming a government.

Pilot exuded confidence that the party will form the government in the state and Rahul Gandhi, as well as the party’s MLAs, will decide on who will be the chief minister. He said the Congress was marching towards victory in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and the trend would continue in the future in the rest of India.

“People have blessed us. We should get a comfortable majority in Rajasthan,” Pilot told reporters at his residence in Jaipur.

As per the trends Congress is leading on 97 seats whereas BJP is trailing with 69 seats and Independent and others have swept around 30 seats. However, the results saw a major dip in the number of seats in comparison to what was predicted by most exit polls. According to the sources Congress leaders are in talks with the independent candidates to form a government. Sachin Pilot confirmed, "I am in touch with all parties that believe in the Congress. The mandate is against the BJP and is a huge blow to the arrogant politics of the BJP."

Asked about who will be the chief minister, Pilot said Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and the party’s MLAs will decide on it. According to the experts, a lower margin could open the Congress up to infighting. Already, slogans in support of Sachin Pilot and veteran Ashok Gehlot were echoing outside their respective houses.

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Echoing Pilot's views, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot assured that Congress will form a government with a majority.

Interestingly all three bigwigs, Gehlot, Raje and Pilot won their respective seats. Sachin Pilot defeated BJP's only Muslim candidate Yoonus Khan in Tonk. Whereas BJP leader Vasundhara defeated Manvendra Singh, son of Jaswant Singh from Jhalrapatan.

However, early trends show Congress will win a full majority and form government in Rajasthan. But as the BJP closed the gap, disappointment set in for the Congress; the party was struggling to cross the 100 mark in the 199-seat Rajasthan.

Voting took place in 199 of the state's 200 assembly constituencies; a candidate died in one seat.