Jaipur: BJP state president CP Joshi here on Sunday expressed hope that his party will sweep the assembly elections in Rajasthan. Addressing the media, Joshi criticised the Congress government over corruption and declared that BJP will win over 135 seats to obtain power in the state.

As early trends show the BJP leading in Rajasthan, the state BJP president said that this lead would keep growing.

BJP leader Vasundhara Raje is leading in Rajasthan's Jhalrapatan assembly seat with 7,025 votes against her Congress rival Ramlal Chouhan, according to the Election Commission website.The former chief minister has got 13,213 votes so far, while Chouhan has got 6,188, the website showed. The former chief minister has got 13,213 votes so far, while Chouhan has got 6,188, the website showed.

As per the trends at 9.49 am, Manorama News reported that BJP is leading in 102 seats while Congress is in 82 seats. According to the Election Commission, Bharat Adivasi Party and independents were ahead in four seats each while the BSP, RLD, CPI(M) and Aazad Samaj Party were ahead in one seat each, according to the EC.

As the trends poured in, a BJP candidate from Kota north Prahlad Gunjal said that the BJP is going to form the government.

"Rajasthan has given the mandate and the picture will become clear in some time," he said.

When asked who will be the CM, he said, "This will be decided by the party's high command. We have big leaders like Vasundhara Raje and we need not bring from outside."

Gunjal is contesting against parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal.

In Vidhyadhar Nagar constituency, the BJP's Diya Kumar is leading with 420 votes against the Congress' Sitaram Agarwal, the EC website showed. So far, Kumar has received 7,094 votes and Aggarwal has got 6,674 votes.

In Nimbahera assembly segment, BJP candidate Shrichand Kriplani is leading with 1,220 votes against his Congress rival Anjana Udayalal.

Kriplani has received 14,944 votes so far and Udayalal 13,724, according to EC data.

Counting of votes polled in the November 25 assembly elections in Rajasthan got underway at 8 am amid tight security arrangements.

Postal ballots are being counted first which will be followed by the counting of votes polled through Electronic Voting Machines.

(With PTI inputs)

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