Rajasthan Assembly Election Results 2018: Congress decimates 'invincible' BJP, set to form next government

Tap here for the latest updates and trends related to Rajasthan Assembly Election Results 2018. As per the latest trends, the Congress party has comfortably crossed the halfway mark in Rajasthan. The Grand old party looks set to oust the ruling BJP from power in Rajasthan after a gap of five years.

JAIPUR: Tap here for the latest updates and trends related to Rajasthan Assembly Election Results 2018. After the party's impressive show in Rajasthan Assembly Elections 2018, the Congress party has initiated talks with Independents and like-minded parties for support in forming the next government in the state where the ruling BJP has been shown the door. Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot has said that the party invited the winning Independent candidates to join them in process of government formation. Congress party has comfortably crossed the half-way mark after taking a massive lead in Rajasthan since the counting of votes for December 7 assembly elections 2018 began for 199 out of 200 seats amid unprecedented security on Tuesday.

By sweeping the crucial elections in Rajasthan, the Grand Old Party, which fought assembly elections under the leadership of former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and its state unit chief Sachin Pilot, has shattered BJP leader and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's dream of securing a second consecutive term in office. A strong ''anti-incumbency'' wave against the Vashundhra Raje government and the growing disenchantment among the Rajputs and Jats towards the ruling party is believed to have played a spoilsport for the BJP in Rajasthan. Meanwhile, widespread celebrations have begun in the Congress camp with the party workers bursting crackers and distributing sweets in parts of Rajasthan and in other states. 

Here are some of the notable winners in Rajasthan Assembly Elections 2018: Sachin Pilot (Congress) Tonk, Vasundhara Raje (BJP) Jhalrapatan, Suresh rawat (BJP) Pushkar, Govind Ram (Congress) Khajuwala (SC), Pratap Singh Khachariyavas (INC) Civil Lines,  Zahida Khan (INC) Kaman, Vasudev Devnani (BJP) Ajmer North, Rakesh Pareek  (INC) Masuda, Shobha Chauhan (BJP) Sojat (SC), Rooparam (INC) Jaisalmer, Shale Mohammad (INC) Pokaran, Ashok Gehlot (Congress) Sardarpura, Madan Prajapat (INC) Pachpadra, Chhagansingh (BJP) Ahore, Jogeshwar Garg (BJP) Jalore (SC), Pooraram Choudhary (BJP) Bhinmal, Sukhram (INC) Sanchore, Sanyam Lodha (IND) Sirohi, Sama Ram Grasiya (BJP) Pindwara Abu (ST), Jagasi Ram (BJP) Reodar, Dharmnarayan Joshi (BJP) Mavli.

3.45 PM: As per the latest trends, Congress is said to be currently leading in 102 out of 199 seats, while BJP is ahead in 69, BSP 6, Independents 22. 

12.30 PM: At the moment, Congress is said to be leading in 94 out of 199 seats, while BJP is ahead in 82, BSP 3, Others 20.

11.15 AM: As per the latest trends, Congress is said to be currently leading in 99 out of 199 seats, while BJP is ahead in 86. The gap between Congress and the ruling BJP is slowly narrowing at the moment.  

10.30 AM: Trends are available for all 199 seats; Congress is currently leading in 105 assembly constituencies, BJP 80, BSP 4, Others 10. 

10.10 AM:  As per the latest trends, the Congress party has comfortably crossed the halfway mark in Rajasthan. The Grand old party is said to be leading on 105 seats, while the BJP is ahead in 80, BSP 3, Others 7. Trends are currently available for 195/199 seats.   

9.45 AM: Trends are currently available for 182199 seats; Congress is currently leading in 96 assembly seats, BJP 76, BSP 3, Others 7. 

9.15 AM: Trends available for 146/199 seats; Congres is ahead in 81 seats, BJP in 62, BSP 0, Others 3. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is leading from Jhalrapatan where she is pitted against Congress candidate Manvendra Singh. Singh, son of senior BJP leader and former Union minister Jaswant Singh, has joined Congress just a few months ahead of the state polls.

9 AM: Trends available for 110/199 seats; Congress is leading in 62 assembly constituencies, while BJP is ahead in 43, BSP 0, Others 2.   

The counting of votes for 199 out of 200 assembly seats is currently underway amid tight security on Tuesday. The ruling BJP is locked in a tough electoral contest with Congress in Rajasthan. The outcome of Rajasthan Assembly elections 2018 will show whether the ruling BJP will be able to beat the anti-incumbency factor in the state, where it has been in power for nearly two decades, or its main rival Congress will make a comeback.

Whichever party - BJP or Congress - wins, the outcome of the keenly-contested December 7 assembly elections 2018 will surely impact the fast-approaching Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

While the ruling party is confident of its victory here, Congress - the main opposition party - is equally hopeful of making a comeback in the state after staying out of power for nearly two decades.

Rajasthan Assembly Elections 2018 - All You Need To Know

Polling was held in a single phase for 199 out of the 200 Assembly seats in Rajasthan on December 7, Friday. Polling in Alwar district’s Ramgarh was postponed due to the death of BSP candidate Laxman Singh.  

Though there were reports of EVMs malfunctioning at some polling booths, the polling was largely peaceful. According to state's Chief Electoral Officer Anand Kumar, a voter turnout of 72.62 percent was recorded in Rajasthan.

A political party or bloc needs 101 seats to establish a majority in the Rajasthan state assembly.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has been challenged by Congress candidate Manvendra Singh, son of senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh, in Jhalrapatan, the constituency she has represented since 2003. Manvendra Singh switched to the Congress just before the elections.

Ahead of the declaration of results, both the parties have exuded confidence that they will emerge as a winner in the crucial polls. The Congress claims that there is huge anti-incumbency. In the last round of by-elections in February, the party wrested the Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha seats and the Mandalgarh assembly seat from the BJP.

While BJP has contested the polls with Raje as its main face, the Congress is yet to announce a chief ministerial candidate in Rajasthan. 

Congress party's election in-charge Sachin Pilot and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot both are seen as the front-runners for the top job. 

Electorally, Rajasthan has swung between the BJP and the Congress in the five elections since 1993. The Congress, which won only 21 assembly seats in 2013 against the BJP's 161, would need an 8 percent swing in its favour to win the elections this time.

The exits polls conducted by a number of news channels recently indicated a clear majority for the Congress in Rajasthan. 

Times Now-CNX predicted the Congress prevailing in 105 seats in the 200-member Assembly and 85 being bagged by the BJP. 

India Today-Axis My India indicated 119 to 141 seats for the Congress and 55 to 72 for the BJP.

Republic-C Voter, on the other hand, predicted a closer outcome, as it gave 81-101 seats to the Congress and 83-103 to the BJP.