Jaipur, May 23 (IANS): Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said that he accepts the public mandate with humility and thanked the people for maintaining peace in the state during the Lok Sabha elections as well as counting.

The Congress has always followed the norms of democracy accepting the people's verdict to ensure democracy is strengthened, he told the media here.

"All Congress workers under the leadership of party President Rahul Gandhi, worked hard to implement Congress policies. They need not get demoralized. We need to strengthen democracy and continue to work in this direction."

The Chief Minister said that for the Congress, the country was supreme, while for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), power was supreme.

Gandhi contested the elections on development while Prime Minister Narendra Modi contested on the basis of religion, caste, Army valour and bravery while flouting the norms of the model code of conduct, he added.

The BJP was leading in Rajasthan as counting of the votes progressed. The latest trends point to a landslide victory for the saffron party in the desert state, a repeat of 2014 when it swept all the 25 seats.