Congress faces worst defeat in Rajasthan

Jaipur, May 16 (IANS) With its top leaders losing the Lok Sabha election in Rajasthan, the Congress was Friday on the verge of recording its worst defeat in the history of the state.

Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Arjunlal Meena was declared elected from Udaipur, defeating his Congress rival Raghuvir Meena by over 2.36 lakh votes.

BJP candidates were also leading in the other 24 constituencies.

The Congress won 20 of the 25 seats in 2009 and the trends show the party is likely to finish without winning a single seat this time.

The Congress's lowest tally was one seat in the post-Emergency 1977 elections.

Prominent Congress leaders who were trailing include union ministers Sachin Pilot (Ajmer), Girja Vyas (Chittorgarh), Bhanwar Jitendra Singh (Alwar) and Chandresh Kumari (Jodhpur) and Namonarain Meena (Dausa) and former India cricket captain Mohd. Azharuddin (Tonk-Sawai Madhopur).

"No one expected this kind of result," said political analyst Ravi Goswami.

"It seems anti-incumbency against the centre, and the Narendra Modi wave contributed to the defeat of the Congress in the state," he said.

Rajasthan Chief Minister and BJP leader Vasundhara Raje said: "We were working on a mission 25... we are happy to achieve it. This win is of the public, the people. This win is the result of the hard work of the BJP workers. I thank them all."