Lok Sabha Elections 2024 1st Phase Voting: Congress Will "Get More Seats Than BJP": Sachin Pilot's Big Claim For Rajasthan

Congress's Sachin Pilot today scoffed at the BJP target of 370 seats across India, saying those aims lack steam when the party failed to keep its promises despite being in power at the Centre for 10 years. As for the 25 out of 25 target in Rajasthan -- a hat-trick the BJP hopes to achieve -- that will definitely not happen, he said. It is the Congress, which could end up getting all 25 Lok Sabha seats of the desert state, he said.

The reason, he told NDTV in an exclusive interview to NDTV, is that the party is better shape than ever. "Our candidates are better, our campaign is much more vigorous, our workers are more enthused and there is a journey for change across India and more so in Rajasthan," Mr Pilot said after casting his vote in Jaipur this morning.

The BJP has not only managed to get a perfect score in Rajasthan in 2014 and 2019, last year, the managed to wrest the state from the Congress and put a new face, Bhajan Lal Sharma in charge.

But Mr Pilot claimed that is what would work against the BJP in the state as the government led by the first time MLA has been ineffective.

The last four months of new BJP government has made no impression on the people, Mr Pilot claimed.

"Ten years is a long time. They (the people of Rajasthan) gave all the seats to the BJP for 10 years. What have they got in return? Rajasthan has not gained anything by giving all MPs in the Lok Sabha to the BJP," Mr Pilot asserted.

Under the circumstances, the BJP dream is just not possible, he said.

"I say with all humility that the Congress will win more seats than BJP," he said. Asked whether the party would even be able to open account, he said, "We just won't open account, we will ensure victory in all 25 seats... (or) will get more seats than the BJP".