Election Results 2018: The results were a massive boost to the Congress ahead of the 2019 polls
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP faced setbacks in the assembly elections in the three heartland states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. The Congress won Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, while it fell two seats short of the majority mark in Madhya Pradesh. The Congress swept Rajasthan, bagging a total of 99 seats while a seat won by ally Ajit Singh meant they touched the majority mark of 100 seats in the state. The BJP, who could not buck an anti-incumbency trend in the state, won 73 seats. In Madhya Pradesh, the competition was tighter, with the Congress slightly ahead with 114 seats against BJP's 108 seats. PM Modi tweeted saying "we accept the people's mandate with humility".
Madhya Pradesh saw a close fight on Tuesday that swung wildly between the Congress and the BJP, whose Shivraj Singh Chouhan was eyeing a record fourth term. Both the Congress and the BJP said they had sought appointments with Governor Anandiben Patel to stake their claims to form the government in the state. The Governor will meet both parties today.
In Rajasthan, the Congress faces the question of who will become the chief minister. Despite speculation of a tussle over who will take the top post, the party's two top leaders in the state - Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot - displayed complete harmony and togetherness in their victory celebrations. Congress President Rahul Gandhi is expected to take the final call today, with sources saying Ashok Gehlot has emerged as the front-runner for the post.