Rajasthan Bypolls: Clean Sweep as Congress Bags All 3 Seats
The voting for the two Lok Sabha constituencies and one Assembly constituency in Rajasthan was held on 29 January.
42 Candidates in The Fray; Bypolls a Direct Contest Between BJP and Congress
The counting of votes of the Alwar and Ajmer Lok Sabha seats will be done in the respective constituencies, whereas it will take place in Bhilwara for the Mandalgarh Assembly seat, a spokesperson of the state election department said, reported PTI.
A total of 42 candidates are in the fray for the bypolls to the three seats, the election to which was held on Monday, 29 January.
The bypolls on all the three seats were necessitated after the sudden death of BJP MPs Sanwarlal Jat from Ajmer, Mahant Chand Nath Yogi from Alwar, and MLA Kirti Kumari from Mandalgarh.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
Counting of Votes For Mandalgrah, Alwar and Ajmer Begins
The counting of votes has begun. A total of 23 candidates are in the fray in Ajmer, 11 in Alwar and eight in Mandalgarh.
According to Chief Election Officer Ashwini Bhagat, Ajmer registered 65.20 percent voting, Alwar had 61.86 and Mandalgarh saw 78.78 percent polling.In 2014 elections, Ajmer had registered 68.65 percent voting, Alwar 65.50 percent, while Mandalgarh had witnessed 82 percent voting in 2013 Assembly elections.
The Election Commission had deputed 12,000 security men in three constituencies to ensure free and peaceful elections. According to the Election Commission, 4,194 polling booths were set up in the three constituencies. For the first time, EVMs with photos of candidates were provided to avoid confusion among voters regarding candidates with similar names.
Congress Takes Early Leads in Ajmer, Alwar
Congress is leading in both Alwar and Ajmer constituencies. Congress candidate Raghu Sharma is leading with 7,585 votes in Ajmer, News18 reported. The party is also leading in Alwar with 30,595 votes, ANI reported.
BJP Leads in Mandalgarh
BJP's Shakti Singh Hada is leading in the Mandalgarh Assembly seat, with 3,072 votes, while Congress candidate Vivek Dhakad lags behind.
Bypoll is Vote Against BJP's Divisive Politics: Ashok Gehlot
“This bypoll is vote against BJP's divisive politics. Apart from changing names of Congress-era schemes, Vasundhara Raje government hasn't done anything in the past 4 years. Unemployment is hurting the youth,” said the former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, News18 reported. The general secretary of the Congress party stated that the bypoll election trends can be seen as a “precursor to not just state Assembly polls later this year but also next Lok Sabha polls.”
Initial Bypoll Trends Are Mandate Against Govt: Sachin Pilot
Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) President Sachin Pilot told ANI that initial trends from Rajasthan bypolls are a “mandate against the government.” He hopes that the vote increase even more.
“Vasundhara ji and her government have been totally rejected by people,” he added.
Congress Still Ahead in Ajmer, Alwar
Congress’ Karan Singh Yadav is leading the BJP candidate by over 56,000 votes in Alwar Lok Sabha bypoll. Yadav has polled 2,55,578 votes.
In Ajmer, the Congress’ Raghu Sharma is leading by over 26,000 votes. The BJP’s Ramswaroop Lamba is trailing with 1,28,291 votes.
Congress Takes Over Lead From BJP in Mandalgarh
Congress is leading in the Mandalgarh Assembly seat.
A tight fight is on between the BJP’s Shakti Singh Hada, who has 42,999 votes, and the Congress’ Vivek Dhakar, who is marginally ahead with 45,011.
Congress Accuses BJP of Swapping EVM Machines in Pushkar
Congress leaders have accused the BJP of swapping EVM machines of the Bulbani polling station with the Pushkar Assembly constituency, News18 reported.
Celebrations Underway Outside Rajasthan Congress Office
Congress party workers have started celebrations outside Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee office, News18 reported. Party workers have planned a grand welcome for RPCC President Sachin Pilot who is likely to hold a press conference later today.
Congress Continues to Lead in Alwar, Ajmer, Mandalgarh
In a spectacular showing, the Congress continues to race ahead of the BJP in the Lok Sabha constituencies of Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha seats.
From Alwar, the Congress’ Karan Singh Yadav secured 2,99,444 votes against Jaswant Singh Yadav's (BJP) 2,27,343 votes. In Ajmer, Raghu Sharma of the Congress has secured 2,99,444 votes in his kitty taking a lead of 48,296 votes.
Congress Wins Mandalgarh Assembly Seat
The Congress’ Vivek Dhakar has beaten the BJP’s Shakti Singh Hada by 12,976 votes.
With Less than 30% Counting to Go, Cong Leads in Alwar & Ajmer
Congress is leading in both Alwar and Ajmer Lok Sabha seats. After 82.44 percent polling in Alwar, party candidate Karan Singh Yadav secured 5,20,434 votes, leading by a margin of 1,44,914 against the BJP’s Jaswant Singh Yadav. In Ajmer, after 64.93 percent polling, the party’s candidate Raghu Sharma polled 4,10,142 votes, leading by 80,031.
Raje Govt Must Resign Taking Moral Responsibility For Defeat, Says Sachin Pilot
Addressing a press conference after the Congress' win in Mandalgarh Assembly seat, Rajasthan Congress Committee chief Sachin Pilot said the Congress' victory is against the arrogance of BJP.
Pilot said that the chief minister should resign taking moral responsibility for the defeat.
Congress Staring At "Massive Sweep" in Rajasthan Predicts Deshmukh
CVoter’s Yashwant Deshmukh, following the counting of votes in Rajasthan, said that if current trends were to be applied to 200 assembly seat constituencies, then Congress is staring at a “massive sweep”.
Deshmukh pointed that Congress managed to score a win even after a party rebel took away votes.
Congress Likely to Win Alwar
The Congress is on the verge of clinching the Alwar bypoll as the party is leading with a massive margin of over 1.6 lakh votes. BJP’s Dr. Jaswant Singh Yadav has received 4,22,607 votes.
Congress Leads in Ajmer
In Ajmer, Congress’s Raghu Sharma is leading by a margin of 80,271 votes, against BJP’s Ramswaroop Lamba.
Rahul Congratulates Rajasthan Congress
Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to congratulate Rajasthan Congress on the win in Mandalgarh, and the likely win both Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha constituency seats.
Raje Reacts to Rajasthan Bypoll Verdict
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, following the likely defeat in all three bypoll constituencies took to Twitter and said that she respected the decision of the people.
She added that her government has worked “tirelessly” for the people of Rajasthan and will work harder.
She congratulated the winning candidates and that she welcomed them to the “celebration” of democracy.
Congress Adds Two Lok Sabha Seats in Rajasthan
Congress’s Karan Singh Yadav defeated his BJP opponent by 1,96,496 votes to clinch the Alwar Lok Sabha seat.
The party’s Raghu Sharma won from the Ajmer constituency by a margin of over 84,000 votes.
In a spectacular showing, the Congress on Thursday stole the show in Rajasthan by wresting the Mandalgarh Assembly as well as the Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha seats from the ruling BJP by huge margins, triggering wild celebrations.
With Assembly elections scheduled later this year in Rajasthan, Congress leaders insisted that the verdict was a rejection of the BJP.
A total of 42 candidates were in the fray in the three seats, all of which were held by the BJP. There were 23 contestants in Ajmer and 11 in Alwar.
- Congress wins Mandalgarh Assembly seat beating the BJP by 12,976 votes
- The party also won the two Lok Sabha constituencies of Ajmer and Alwar
- A total of 42 candidates are in the fray for all three constituencies, polling for which was held on 29 January
- The bypolls are the last lap before the state Assembly elections due later this year
- Bypolls in West Bengal’s Uluberia and Noapara were also held on 29 January
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