Rajasthan: Congress, BJP reach out to independents, smaller parties

On the eve of the counting of votes in Rajasthan, both BJP and Congress have started reaching out to independent candidates, including rebels, and smaller parties. Nearly 40 rebels from both parties have contested elections after being denied tickets and have put up a tough fight. With several exit polls predicting a tight race between the BJP and the Congress, MLAs from this group could play a crucial role. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot met Governor Kalraj Mishra on Thursday soon after exit poll predictions were released.