“I feel there is neck-to-neck fight in Rajasthan”: Congress leader Khachariyawas

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], December 1 (ANI): Rajasthan Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas on Friday said that there is a neck-to-neck competition between his party Congress and BJP in the state, so independent candidates will play a crucial role if both parties get anywhere near 90-100 seats in a 200-member Assembly.

Speaking to ANI, Rajasthan Minister Khachariyawas said, “If both parties get 90-100 seats, then both BJP and Congress will have to give respect to independent candidates and other parties. Then they will decide whom to give support to. What I feel is there is a neck-to-neck fight in Rajasthan at the moment.”

He further said that various exit polls have rejected the claims made by the BJP that they were getting more than 125 seats.

“Many exit polls are stating that Congress is getting more than 100 seats here. Big agencies are stating that Congress will be forming the government. We were expecting a BJP defeat in Madhya Pradesh but exit polls are showing that they are in the lead. Many exit polls also rejected their (BJP) claims of getting 125 plus seats. I will say it again if both get 90 to 100 seats here, then anyone can form government.”

The exit polls have reinforced the perception of a hard contest in Rajasthan, with differences in their prediction of the winner in the crucial Hindi heartland state that has a nearly three-decade tradition of not repeating an incumbent government.

While three exit polls predicted the BJP to be the clear winner, two others showed Congress was ahead in the sweepstakes to form the next government in the state.

The exit poll predictions showed that “others” including smaller parties and independents could play a crucial role in the formation of the government when the results are announced on December 3. Rajasthan went to the polls on 199 of 200 assembly seats on November 25.

The Congress government in the state led by Chief Minister Gehlot unleashed a series of populist schemes closer to the assembly election to ward off the challenge from the BJP.

Counting in four other states that went to the polls this month will also take place on December 3. The polls, held months before the Lok Sabha polls, are crucial for BJP and Congress for various reasons.