BJP infighting over poll ticket allocation to benefit Cong in Anta bypoll: Pilot

Kota (Rajasthan), Nov 5 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Wednesday claimed the "infighting" within the ruling BJP over the distribution of poll tickets will benefit his party in the November 11 Anta assembly bypoll.

Exuding confidence about the Congress' victory in the election, the former Rajasthan deputy chief minister expressed doubt about the full support of BJP workers to their party's candidate Morpal Suman.

"BJP suffers from infighting, which has strained the relationship of its leaders with one another. On the other hand, the entire Congress party is fully dedicated to ensuring party candidate Pramod Jain Bhaya's victory in the bypoll," he told reporters at the Kota airport here.

The infighting within the BJP will certainly benefit the Congress, Pilot insisted.

"The BJP dispensation in the state has completed two years, and people have assessed its functioning. In this bypoll, people will give their verdict based on the government's failure, betrayal of faith and passiveness." About rebel Congress leader Naresh Meena, who has been suspended from the party, fighting the bypoll as an Independent, Pilot said anyone can contest the poll, but the ultimate decision lies with the public.

But this bypoll is a fight between two ideologies -- of the BJP and the Congress, he asserted. The bye-election, however, should be held in a harmonious atmosphere.

About the Bihar assembly election, Pilot said that winds of change are blowing in almost all districts of the state.

He claimed that while campaigning in the eastern state, he realised the BJP was on the back foot and the Mahagathbandhan, in which the Congress is a key ally, would receive a thumping majority.

"Nobody was saying that Nitish Kumar would remain the chief minister there. The BJP projects one person as the CM face and then uses him to grab power," the Congress leader alleged.

The Mahagathbandhan's poll promise for the farmers and youths, and on employment, has found favour with the people, Polit asserted.

On questions from reporters about the accidents in Jodhpur, Jaipur, and Phalodi that claimed multiple lives, Pilot demanded that the Rajasthan government take cognisance of the matter and form a committee to resolve issues that are leading to a rise in accidents.

"There is some negligence somewhere that is causing such accidents. The government should take serious note of it and take some precautionary measures, he added. PTI COR NSD NSD