BJP suffers shock electoral defeat to Congress in Rajasthan polls

New Delhi: The Congress party managed to buck the trend and emerge victorious in Rajasthan by finishing just one seat short of the majority figure.

Pollsters had predicted a photo-finish in the desert state, which showed that they are ready to look beyond royalty for its welfare following ouster from power of Maharani (Queen) Vasundhara Raje as the state chief minister.

The BJP's defeat had become a foregone conclusion just a day ahead of the December 5 polling considering all three major communities, namely Meenas, Gujjars and Jats, had decided to support the Congress party due to different reasons.

BJP circles privately blame Raje for the defeat saying she made more enemies than friends even within the party with her style of operation. She is accused of attempting to make the party subservient to her and running government with an iron fist, as did Narendra Modi in neighbouring Gujarat.

However, while Modi keeps close contact with the masses, with voters happy with benefits he made available for them, the same could not be said of Raje.

Her rule has been said to be one of empty promises.

It is also being pointed out that Raje's arrogant style of functioning virtually made her an isolated figure within the BJP with several senior leaders refusing to go Rajasthan to campaign.

Former vice president of India, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat only campaigned for his son-in-law in the state.

Ultimately, Raje's handling of the Gujjar agitation turned to be her undoing, with her losing the trust of both the Gujjars and Meenas.

Ballot box: Irony of victory

The Congress found itself in a piquant situation in Rajasthan as it raced towards victory in the assembly elections - all except one of its chief minister hopefuls was given a drubbing in the polls, including its state president.

Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, who ruled from 1998-2003, was the honourable exception having won his Sardarpura seat by a margin of about 13,000 votes.

In an election that saw the Congress wrest the state back from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), all others in the running for the top political post in the state lost.

- IANS