Lok Sabha elections: BJP candidate in Rae Bareli concedes defeat before result

Rae Bareli (UP): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh, who was pitted against former Congress president and candidate Rahul Gandhi in Rae Bareli, on Tuesday conceded his defeat even as the Lok Sabha election result were yet to be announced.

Here, Gandhi has taken a decisive lead of 3,19,256 votes over Singh. While Rahul has received 5,77493 votes so far, 2,58,237 votes have been polled in favour of Dinesh Pratap, who is cabinet minister in the Yogi Adityanath government.

Singh conceded defeat by releasing a letter on social media.

He wrote, "I have served the people of Rae Bareli with great humility and hard work, yet if I have made any mistake in my thoughts, words or deeds during my services, then we apologize to the people of Rae Bareli."

Expressing gratitude to the party supporters, he said, "We fought the elections very well but the decision was not in our hands. The public is like God. Whatever order they give, we will follow."

It may be noted that Rae Bareli is considered a traditional seat of Congress and had been represented by Chairperson of party's Parliamentary Committee Sonia Gandhi since 2004.