Public feedback, atmosphere indicate Congress’ return to power in Rajasthan, says Ashok Gehlot | India News

JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said feedback from the people and the atmosphere in the state indicate that the Congress will retain power. Gehlot expressed confidence that the grand old party — which has been in power since December 2018 — will buck the trend of the state government alternating every five years between the BJP and the Congress.
Voting for 199 out of the 200 assembly seats in Rajasthan was held on November 25. The counting of votes will take place on December 3. Voting in the Karanpur seat of Sriganganagar was postponed following the death of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Koonar.
While Gehlot refrained from making any predictions on the number of seats the Congress could win, he expressed hope that the party will form the government again.
“I do not calculate numbers but the atmosphere, by and large, and the kind of feedback that is there, it looks like people’s mind this time is to repeat the government,” he said.
“Whatever result comes on December 3, we will accept that with humility,” Gehlot said before leaving for Delhi.
The Congress leader also accused BJP leaders — including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and chief ministers of the saffron party-ruled states who campaigned in Rajasthan — of using provocative language.
The BJP raised the issue of Kanhaiya Lal’s murder but those involved were linked to the the saffron party, he alleged.
The veteran leader said the Rajasthan Police caught the murder accused within two hours but the BJP leaders did not talk about it.
Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor, was murdered by two men in his shop in Udaipur in June 2022 over an alleged insult to Islam.
Gehlot also said the Congress contested the assembly elections on the issue of development and governance.