Congress largest party in MP, Rajasthan; but off majority mark

Bhopal/Jaipur (IANS): The Congress on Wednesday emerged as the largest party in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, but missed securing the absolute majority in both the states.

According to the Election Commission, the final tally for the 230-seat Madhya Pradesh Assembly showed Congress winning 114 seats, while the ruling BJP came close with 109 in a battle that went to the wire on Tuesday.

The Congress might take support from the two-seat winner Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which contested on its own, and the Samajwadi Party (SP), which bagged one seat in the final tally in Madhya Pradesh to cross the halfway mark of 116 seats.

The Congress might also approach four Independent candidates, most of whom are Congress rebels.

The party late on Tuesday wrote a letter to Governor Anandiben Patel to be invited to form the next government in the state.

Likewise, in the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly, the Congress bagged 99 seats, while its pre-poll ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) won one. The BJP was far behind with 73 seats.

The Congress might have to approach the six-seat winner BSP or the 13 Independent candidates, most of whom are again Congress rebels, to cross the halfway mark of 101 in Rajasthan as well.

In Chhattisgarh, where the Bharatiya Janata Party ruled for 15 years, the Congress has swept a clear two-third majority with 68 seats, against the half-way mark of 46. While the BJP emerged as the second largest party with only 15 seats.