Congress sweeps Rajasthan bypolls, BJP concedes defeat

Jaipur: The Congress party on Thursday swept Rajasthan bypolls winning the Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha seats and Mandalgarh Assembly seats by massive margins. 

By evening, Vasundhara-led BJP government conceded defeat. Taking to Twitter, the state chief minister wrote in Hindi that she accepts people's verdict and party cadets need to work hard.

जनता की सेवा का जो प्रण हमने 4 साल पहले लिया था, उसे पूरा करने में हमने कोई कसर नहीं छोड़ी। आज तीनो निर्वाचन क्षेत्रों में जो फ़ैसला जनता ने दिया है वह सिर आँखों पर। #JaiJaiRajasthan — Vasundhara Raje (@VasundharaBJP) February 1, 2018

Congress candidate Vivek Dhakar won Mandalgarh Assembly seat while party leaders Dr. Karan Singh Yadav and Raghu Sharma are set to win Alwar and Ajmer Lok Sabha seats respectively.

The results of by-polls has come has a major jolt to Vasundhara Raje-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state, which is eyeing a second term in the upcoming Assembly elections scheduled to be held later this year.

Meanwhile, Congress candidate Rahul Gandhi also took Twitter:

Well done Rajasthan Congress! Proud of each and every one of you. This is a rejection of the BJP by the people of Rajasthan.#RajasthanByPolls — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) February 1, 2018

Calling results are a precursor to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in a series of tweet congratulated party members.

#RajasthanBypollResults will infuse new energy in the Congress. In the coming assembly elections, there will be a Congress Government and nobody can stop that. #RajasthanByPolls — Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) February 1, 2018

The voting for the seats was held on Monday, January 29, 2018. A total of 42 candidates in fray for three seats in Rajasthan. The by-elections on all the three Rajasthan 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.