Sachin Pilot hails Congress show in Rajasthan local body by-polls

Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot on Wednseday hailed the party s performance in by-polls to local governing bodies in the state, saying that the results reflected the public mood and indicated Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's falling credibility as the state head.

Noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was set to visit Rajasthan , Pilot also said through the by-polls in 32 zilla parishad, municipal council and panchayat samiti seats, the people had spoken their minds.

Pilot hit out at the BJP, accused the ruling party of exploiting each section of society during its four-year rule in the state by implementing anti-people policies . The Congress remained in contact with the people and highlighted their concerns, which led to its victories, he said.

The former Union minister also lauded party workers for the results of the by-polls to the local bodies spread over 21 districts of the state, comprising urban as well as rural areas.

The Congress s show in the local body contests comes in the wake of its recent success in by-elections to the Ajmer and Alwar Parliamentary seats and the Mandalgarh Assembly constituency.

After the recent by-polls to the Parliamentary seats, the latest results are reflective of the public mood which is against the BJP. People have made up their mind. The results are indicative of the chief minister losing her credibility and moral right to govern the state anymore, Pilot told PTI.

While the chief minister announced populist measures when she spoke on the state budget yesterday, public interest was not on the agenda of the state government, he alleged.

The latest results now raise questions over her acceptability as the chief minister, he added.

A statement issued by Pilot s office said the Congress won four of the six zilla parishad seats where the by-polls were held yesterday.

The Congress emerged victorious in 12 of the 21 panchayat samiti seats where elections were held. It also won the by-polls in four of the six municipal council seats.