Elections
Indian Assembly election: Congress leads in Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, BJP fights back in MP
The counting of the votes is currently underway in five states- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Telangana and Chhattisgarh where the Congress party is leading in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan while the BJP is fighting back in Madhya Pradesh. The TRS party in Telangana is slated to form a government since they have already crossed the halfway mark.
In Mizoram, the MNF is leading by a huge margin and is likely to come to power.
The results are expected to affect efforts to create an alliance of Opposition parties for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and if the Congress will be the leader of the anti-BJP front.
Exit polls show a narrow gap between BJP and Congress in Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring Chhattisgarh, while many of them have given a clear majority to the Congress in Rajasthan. In Telangana, the votes are divided between the TRS and the Congress-led opposition alliance.
If the current poll count holds steadfast until the five rounds are over, Congress will be able to sail well into the 2019 elections.
Sachin Pilot, the Congress MP from Rajasthan, while speaking to reporters in Jaipur, said: “We should wait till the end for the results but it is clear that the Congress is going to form government in three states. The hardwork of the Congress party over the five years has shown in the results. The people have blessed us… we will get a comfortable majority in Rajasthan.”
When he was asked if he would be CM, Pilot said “the decision is Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s.”
Following the tentative election results, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee tweeted that it was the victory of the people against divisive politics. “People voted against BJP. This is the people’s verdict and victory of the people of this country. Victory of democracy and victory against injustice, atrocities, destruction of institutions, misuse of agencies, no work for poor people , farmers, youth, Dalits, SC, ST, OBC, minorities and general caste. Semifinal proves that BJP is nowhere in all the states. This is a real democratic indication of 2019 final match. Ultimately, people are always the ‘man of the match’ of democracy. My congrats to the winners.”
People voted against BJP. This is the people’s verdict and victory of the people of this country 1/3
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 11, 2018
Victory of democracy and victory against injustice, atrocities, destruction of institutions, misuse of agencies, no work for poor people , farmers, youth, Dalits, SC, ST, OBC, minorities and general caste 2/3
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 11, 2018
Semifinal proves that BJP is nowhere in all the states. This is a real democratic indication of 2019 final match. Ultimately, people are always the ‘man of the match’ of democracy. My congrats to the winners 3/3
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 11, 2018
(With inputs from Indian Express)
