Rajasthan Election Results 2018: Here are top winners and losers

BJP not only came close but even threatened Congress at times. However, there were some big names that managed to stay afloat and there were others who couldn't stop the tide

Congress was expected to make a clean sweep in Rajasthan elections. BJP was projected to not get more than 50 odd seats in the final election results-- a far cry from 163 it had won in 2013. The 'revolving door' anti-incumbency was also in favour of Congress. But, in the end it wasn't an easy ride for Rahul led Gehlot-Pilot team. BJP not only came close but even threatened Congress at times. Sachin Pilot was forced to ponder over the alliance options for the grand old party in the desert state. At the end, Congress somehow scraped through and managed 100+ seats. There were some big names that managed to stay afloat and there were others who couldn't stop the tide. Following are some of the prominent constituency wise winners list and the losers list from Rajasthan.

TOP WINNERS

Sachin Pilot (Congress): The young Pilot has emerged as a tall leader. After winning against Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) Yoonus Khan in the Tonk constituency, Pilot also led the charge against BJP by wooing the anti-BJP candidates. He was out as the face of Congress in Rajasthan and courted media questions with ease and humility. At the moment, there is no clarity about who will become the CM, but the future of Congress in Rajasthan is in safe hands.

Ashok Gehlot (Congress): Gehlot is Congress' old hat. He has been around for decades and has witnessed how incumbency plays out in Rajasthan. He is Congress party's national general secretary and in-charge of organisations and training. He was the Chief Minister of Rajasthan from 1998 to 2003, and again from 2008 to 2013. Rajasthan might want to go with Pilot but Gehlot won't go down without a fight. Both Gehlot and Pilot have maintained that their candidacy for the CMs post will be decided by the party MLAs and Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

CP Joshi (Congress): Veteran Congress leader CP Joshi, 68, is back in Nathdwara seat in Rajsamand district from where he won his first assembly election 38 years ago in 1980. Till the last count Joshi was leading in Nathdwara.

Vasundhara Raje (BJP): BJP was led by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in Rajasthan. In the end, despite winning her Jhalrapatan seat, she failed to stop the state's 'revolving door' trend. Since 1998, Rajasthan has alternated between Congress and BJP but Raje was hoping to put an end to it. Despite her last minute attempts to dole out goodies for the farmers and students, the Rajasthan's junta wasn't impressed. She is still popular in the state but her party will have to do more the next time.

TOP LOSERS

Manvendra Singh (Congress): Manvendra Singh had switched over from the BJP just weeks before being fielded against the chief minister Vasundhara Raje. But the election results were not in his favour. Son of veteran BJP leader Jaswant Singh, Manvendra Singh had challenged Raje from Jhalrapatan constituency.

Col Sona Ram Choudhary (BJP): The election results have not been kind to Col. Sonaram Choudhary who represents Barmer constituency. He lost to Congress' Mewaram Jain.

Ram Pratap (BJP): Rajasthan's water resource minister Ram Pratap lost the Hanumangarh seat to Congress candidate Vinod Kumar with a margin of 15,522 votes.