Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot handed in his resignation letter to Governor Kalraj Mishra as the BJP appeared to be on the verge of victory in the Rajasthan Assembly elections. The resignation was confirmed in an official statement from the governor’s office, which stated that Gehlot submitted his resignation on Sunday at Raj Bhavan.
Governor Mishra swiftly accepted Gehlot’s resignation, urging him to continue working until the formation of the new government in the state. The unexpected move comes as the BJP establishes a lead in the assembly, marking a significant shift in the political landscape of Rajasthan.
In a social media post earlier, Chief Minister Gehlot expressed his acceptance of the public mandate as the BJP secured a lead. “We humbly accept the mandate given by the people of Rajasthan. This is an unexpected result for everyone. This defeat shows that we were not completely successful in taking our plans, laws, and innovations to the public,” Gehlot shared on X.
#WATCH | #WATCH | Jaipur: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot tenders his resignation to Governor Kalraj Mishra
BJP won 104 seats and is currently leading on 11 seats.
#RajasthanElection2023 pic.twitter.com/4kfRpd6DjJ
— ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2023
Gehlot, in a gracious gesture, called for the continuation of the schemes initiated during his tenure in the new BJP government. “I wish the new government all the best. My advice to them is that despite working hard, we were not successful, but it does not mean that they should stop working after coming to the government. All the schemes, including OPS, Chiranjeevi, and the pace of development that we have given to Rajasthan in these five years should be taken forward,” he emphasized.
Expressing gratitude, Gehlot thanked Congress workers and voters for their support. Despite Gehlot leading in the Sardarpura constituency, the BJP surged ahead on 115 seats in the 199-member Assembly, while Congress lagged with 69 seats.
Rajasthan witnessed polling on 199 of the 200 assembly seats on November 25, with the majority mark set at 100. The elections in the Karanpur constituency were adjourned due to the unfortunate passing away of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Koonar. The unexpected resignation of Chief Minister Gehlot adds a layer of uncertainty to the evolving political scenario in Rajasthan, as the BJP’s dominance reshapes the political narrative.