Assembly polls: BJP wins back 3 key Indian states

India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party today stormed to power in three key Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the polls outcome would resonate in upcoming parliamentary elections in a few months when he seeks a third consecutive mandate to govern the country, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

Capping a campaign helmed by Modi, BJP managed to overcome anti-incumbency in Madhya Pradesh retaining power there and defeated its main political challenger Congress which rules Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

However, Congress returned to power in the southern state of Telangana with a convincing win against its nearest rival and regional party Bharat Rashtra Samiti led by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

In the 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly, BJP won a comfortable majority with 137 seats and leading in 28 others, Congress failed to do so in Rajasthan (a total of 199-member assembly seats) and Chhattisgarh (90) seats where it was in power.

In Rajasthan, BJP won 115 seats to return to power and in Chhattisgarh the party was on course to wrest power winning 34 seats and leading in 20 seats. Congress got 44 seats and led in 20 in Madhya Pradesh. In Rajasthan, Congress had hoped of bucking the trend of an incumbent party being voted out and bagged 68 seats.

In Telangana, however, Congress secured 61 of the total seats of 119 seats and led in three other seats. Telangana became the second southern state to go Congress’ way after neighbouring Karnataka in May this year.

Addressing a meeting of jubilant BJP leaders and workers this evening, an euphoric Modi said the impact of the party’s “hat-trick” of victory in the Hindi heartland states would resonate far and wide.

Just five years ago, BJP was worsted by Congress at the previous assembly elections in these three states.

“Some people are saying today’s hat-trick in the three states has guaranteed BJP’s hat-trick in 2024,” a smiling Modi said in a clear reference to the coming pan-India general elections.

“Today’s victory in assembly elections is historic and unprecedented,” Modi said.

Attacking the caste census push by opposition parties, Modi said “several attempts were made to divide country on caste lines” and reiterated that for him women, youth, poor and farmers are the only castes in the country and their empowerment would further strengthen the country.

As the trends of vote-country continued to emerge from the Election Commission’s vote-counting centres in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, celebrations broke out at BJP offices in the three states.