Modi, Rahul Gandhi, Rajnath Singh and Yogi Adityanath hold Rajasthan rallies

Rajasthan saw a day of heavy campaigning as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Congress president Rahul Gandhi were all lined up to address election meetings across the state.

Who went where

• Narendra Modi: Bhilwara, Kota and Dungarpur.
• Rajnath Singh: Rajakheda and Basedi in Dholpur, and Virat Nagar in Jaipur.
• Rahul Gandhi: began by paying respects at the Ajmer dargah and visiting Pushkar Sarovar, before heading to Pokhran in Jaisalmer for a public meeting.
• Yogi Adityanath: also in Pokhran, plus Dungargarh (Bikaner), Ratangarh (Churu), Fatehpur (Sikar) and Makrana (Nagaur).

The wider election calendar

Rajasthan was one of five states voting in this round. Chhattisgarh had already voted in two phases, on November 12 and 20, while Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram were due to vote on November 28. Rajasthan and Telangana were scheduled to vote last, in December. Results for all five, widely seen as a curtain-raiser for the 2019 Lok Sabha contest, were to be declared on December 11.

Ram Mandir back in focus

The campaign conversation had also turned back to the Ram Mandir. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray visited Ayodhya at the same time as a large Vishwa Hindu Parishad rally there. Thackeray warned that the BJP would lose power if it did not clear the way for a temple at the disputed site, while the VHP demanded that the government bring in a law for the purpose.

What happened next

When the Rajasthan results came in, the Congress had 99 seats to the BJP’s 73, and Ashok Gehlot became Chief Minister.

Originally published on 26 November 2018. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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