We have not lost to BJP but to Rajasthan government': Sachin Pilot

Former Union Minister and Rajasthan Congress President Sachin Pilot has termed the by-poll result as the victory of Rajasthan Government, but not of BJP's. BJP candidate Shoba Rani Kushwaha, the wife of BL Kushwaha won the Dholpur constituency by a record margin on thirty eight thousand votes.

Reacting to the BJP's win in Dholpur, Rajasthan Congress President Sachin Pilot addressed a press conference in which he alleged BJP for using government machinery for influencing voters in Dholpur. He said, "We accept the mandate in Dholpur. But congress didn't lose to BJP, but to Government of Rajasthan. Government machinery was misused and CM Raje herself was there till the voting day. She has violated cone of conduct".  When DH asked Sachin, if the Dholpur results have set the mood for upcoming assembly elections 2018, he replied, " If BJP thinks this one election,which was massively managed by government, reflects mood of entire state, they're mistaken.

BJP can't accuse us of nepotism. Dholpur candidate herself is the wife of a convicted MLA. Dholpur doesn't doesn't reflect entire Rajasthan as it shares border majorly with Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh."

In Dholpur, also Chief Minister  Vasundhara Raje's home turf, Shobha Rani, a political debutant, surprised many by getting 38,000 votes over her Congress rival Banwari Lal Sharma. Shobna, wife of BSP leader BL Kushwaha, had joined BJP in February. However her rival Banwari Lal Sharma, a congress veteran has fought 10 elections from Dholpur but won only five.
 
According to political analysts it was important for BJP to sweep Dholpur seat. As BJP was eyeing on Shoba's popularity, Congress was confident of their Brahmin candidate. Brahmin community has a significant strength among the 1.82 lakh voters in the constituency. Other than Brahmins, the Dholpur constituency has a significant population of Kushwah, Muslim and Dalit communities.

Nearly 1.92 lakh voters will cast their votes in the by-election on April 9.  The Election Commission of Rajasthan used Voter Verified Paper Audit Trial (VVPAT) for the first time in Dholpur.