Rajasthan Election Result 2018: CM Vasudhara Raje resigns, says proud of development works done by her govt

As the Congress headed towards victory in Rajasthan, outgoing chief minister Vasundhara Raje on Tuesday night said she is proud of the development work done by her government and respects the mandate of the people. Raje, who submitted her resignation to Governor Kalyan Singh at Raj Bhawan in Jaipur, congratulated the Congress party. She said that the BJP will raise people's issues in the state assembly and will play a positive role for public welfare.   

"I am proud of the development works done by the BJP government in five years and believe that the upcoming government will continue the works and projects," Raje said in a statement.  She thanked the people of the state, BJP workers, the prime minister and the BJP chief, saying they stood by her as family. 

""I would like to congratulate the Congress. I accept this mandate by the people. The BJP has worked a lot for them in these five years, I hope the next party takes those policies and works forward," Raje said. 

Outgoing Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje in Jaipur: I would like to congratulate Congress. I accept this mandate by the people. BJP has worked a lot for them in these 5 years, I hope the next party takes those policies and works forward. #AssemblyElectionResults2018 pic.twitter.com/yaPxTzgAPN

— ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018

 "Raje handed over her resignation to the Governor tonight,"" a Raj Bhawan spokesperson said. 

As many as 13 of 19 ministers in the Raje government have lost the Assembly elections as results and trends brought electoral reverses for the ruling BJP. 

However, Raje and her five cabinet colleagues have won their respective constituencies. Raje (Jhalrapatan), Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria (Udaipur), Education Minister Vasundev Devnani (Ajmer North), Women and Child Development Minister Anita Bhadel (Ajmer South), Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore (Churu) and Higher Education Minister Kiran Maheshwari (Rajsamand) have retained their respective seats.

  The chief minister won the Jhalrapatan seat with a margin of 34,980 votes by defeating her nearest rival and Congress leader Manvendra Singh, the son of veteran BJP leader Jaswant Singh.  She had won the seat in 2013 elections with a margin of 60,896 votes. Among the ministers who lost the elections are: Agriculture Minister Prabhu Lal Saini (Anta), Food & Civil Supply Minister Baboo Lal Verma (Baran-Atru), Revenue Minister Amra Ram (Pachpadra), Tourism Minister Krishnendra Kaur (Nadbai), Housing and Urban Development Minister Srichand Kriplani (Nimahera). Also among those who lost are Water Resources Minister Rampratap (Hanumangarh), Social Justice Minister Arun Chaturvedi (Civil Lines), Industries Minister Rajpal Singh (Jhotwara), Cooperative Minister Ajay Singh (Degana), Gaupalan Minister Otaram Devasi (Sirohi) and Transport Minister Yoonus Khan (Tonk). 

 Khan lost the Muslim-dominated seat of Tonk to Pradesh Congress Committee President Sachin Pilot with a margin of 54179 votes. He was the only Muslim candidate fielded by the BJP in the state. 

 PHED Minister Surendra Goyal (Jaitaran) and Devsthan Minister Rajkumar Rinwa (Ratangarh) had turned rebel after the BJP denied them ticket and they contested the elections as Independents. Both have lost their respective seats.

(With PTI inputs)