New Delhi, Dec 11 (UNI) In a major setback to the ruling BJP ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the saffron party on Tuesday lost power in the three Hindi heartland states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh while the TRS retained power in the South Indian state of Telangana and the congress lost in its Northeast bastion of Mizoram.
The results for the assembly elections showed the saffron party draw a blank in Rajasthan, where it has been in power since the last five years, and Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh , where it had been in power for 15 years .
While in 200-member Rajasthan assembly, the Congress has crossed the majority mark of 100 and was leading in 102 seats while the BJP was leading in 72 seats only, in another saffron party ruled Chhattisgarh, the Congress was headed for a landslide win leading in 65 seats.
The BJP, which has been in power since 2003 under Raman Singh, could maintain its lead only in 17 seats.
In Madhya Pradesh too, the Congress seemed set to form the government with wins in 115 seats while the saffron party winning in 103 seats.
According to trends and results, it seems the return of TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao in Telangana and MNF chief Zoramthanga in Mizoram looked certain.In the Southern state of Telangana, TRS, headed to regain power leading in 87 seats in 119 member assembly.
This is much better show by TRS than previous election in 2014 when it could manage to win only 63 seats.
In the last Congress bastion of Mizoram in North Eastern region, the grand old party also seemed to be making way for the regional outfit MNF, which ruled the state between 1998 and 2008.Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla lost from both the constituencies he contested.
The win in the Hindi heartland of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh is a set back for the ruling BJP at the centre , coming as it does ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening accepted people's mandate "with humility" in the elections in five states ."We accept the people’s mandate with humility," Mr Modi tweeted. "I thank the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving us the opportunity to serve these states. The BJP Governments in these states worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people," Mr Modi wrote.
It is the first major win for Rahul Gandhi since he took over the charge of the Congress exactly an year ago.
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