Rajasthan by-elections 2018 results: Congress starts early celebrations, say trends precursor to 2019 LS elections

Jaipur: As by-election result trends reflected a lead for Congress, party members started early celebrations on Thursday afternoon. While counting is still underway, Congress members were quick to call their lead as the voter's voice.

"This by-election is a vote against BJP`s divisive politics," party leader and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said even before Election Commission was to formally declare the results.

He further added that the results are a precursor to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

In the initial rounds of counting, the Congress established a lead Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha seats, while BJP maintained a lead on Mandalgarh Assembly seats. As the day progressed, there were a few up and downs, with both the parties emerging on the forefront for a while. 

By noon, Congress started leading in all three seats. 

Currently, Congress candidate Raghu Sharma is with 2,26,832 votes, and BJP candidate Ramswaroop Lamba trailing behind with 1,84,247. In Alwar, Congress' Karan Singh Yadav is leading with 71,576 votes. 

In Mandalgarh, the Congress established a narrow lead of 3282 votes, party leader Vivek Dhakar securing 55,782 votes. 

Meanwhile in West Bengal, BJP did not manage to make a dent in the vote. Trinamool swept the Noapara polls and is steadily on the road to win Uluberia seat.

The elections were necessitated by the deaths of Sanwarlal Jat (Ajmer), Mahant Chand Nath Yogi (Alwar) and Kirti Kumari (Mandalgarh). 

Rajasthan Assembly elections scheduled later this year.