Just three days ahead of voting for the 199 of the 200-member Rajasthan Legislative Assembly Elections, incumbent Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday made a big prediction on Congress party’s performance in the polls.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Gehlot said that Congress party will break the Rajasthan’s tradition of voting out the incumbent government every five years and win as many as 156 seats.

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“People have made up their mood to repeat the government in the state this time. I believe we are moving towards 156 seats. The tradition (of changing the govt in every 5 years) is going to break this time. People in the state are happy with the kind of work we have done…In Rajasthan, it is definite that the govt will be repeated,” he said.

His claim is different from the earlier assessment of the Congress leadership. Last month, Rahul Gandhi had admitted that while they are certain of a victory in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana, there will be a close contest in Rajasthan between the Congress and the BJP.

#WATCH | Jaipur: On Rajasthan Assembly elections, CM Ashok Gehlot says, “People have made up their mood to repeat the government in the state this time. I believe we are moving towards 156 seats. The tradition (of changing the govt in every 5 years) is going to break this time.… pic.twitter.com/udrp1FTdhF

— ANI (@ANI) November 22, 2023

For the last three decades, an incumbent government has not retained power in the desert state. This time, the Congress is hoping to change that and Gehlot’s former deputy and foe-turned friend Sachin Pilot has also echoed him.

In an exclusive interview with The Statesman, Pilot Tuesday said, “There has been a trend among the voters of Rajasthan to elect the Congress and the BJP alternately. But this time around, people want to change this tradition by voting for Congress in the ongoing assembly polls.”

Once an archrival of CM Gehlot, Pilot, who almost brough down the Congress government in Rajasthan 3 years ago, said that they are contesting the elections unitedly and there has been overwhelming public response.

“We are contesting elections unitedly without any differences. I have joined most of the meetings of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. The public response has been overwhelming…” he added.

Rajasthan will vote on November 25 and the results will be declared on December 3.