The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday won three out of the four Assembly elections for which votes are being counted. The Congress, on the other hand, lost power in two states that it ruled but emerged victorious in one.

With these being the last Assembly polls before the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the outcome will hold particular significance for both the national parties.

At 8.55 pm, the BJP was leading in 164 out of 230 seats in Madhya Pradesh, 115 out of 199 seats in Rajasthan and 54 out of 90 seats in Chhattisgarh. The Congress was leading in Telangana with 64 out of 119 seats.

BJP chief JP Nadda thanked people in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan for the party’s performance, and claimed that voters had expressed their anger against the “corruption, anarchy, broken promises and appeasement” of the Congress. He added that the party humbly accepts the people’s mandate in Telangana.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge thanked voters in Telangana for their mandate in the state, and also expressed gratitude to those who voted for his party in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

“Our performance in these three states have no doubt been disappointing, but with determination, we reaffirm our strong resolve to rebuild and revive ourselves in these three states,” he said. “We will overcome temporary setbacks and prepare ourselves fully for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections along with the INDIA parties.”

Also read: Election results: What does BJP’s hegemony in the Hindi belt mean for Indian politics?

Madhya Pradesh

The BJP in Madhya Pradesh was comfortably above the halfway mark, with the party winning 146 seats and leading in 18 others at 8.55 pm.

The Congress won 49 seats and was leading in 16, while the Bharat Adivasi Party had won one seat.

The BJP garnered 48.55% of the vote share, while the Congress won 40.42%.

Commenting on the results, Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and the “hard work of BJP workers” for the party’s performance.

Chhattisgarh

The BJP was on course to register its biggest-ever win in Chhattisgarh, as it won 43 out of 90 seats and was leading in 11. The Congress had won 31 seats and is leading in four places, as of 8.55 pm.

The halfway mark in Chhattisgarh is 46 seats.

The BJP garnered 46.30% of the vote share, while the Congress won 42.22%.

The results would come as a shock to the Congress, as exit polls had predicted that it would win the state and retain power.

Rajasthan

The BJP wrested power from the Congress in Rajasthan as it won 115 out of 199 seats in the state.

The Congress won 68 seats and was leading in one, as of 8.55 pm. Independent candidates won eight seats, Bharat Adivasi Party three, Bahujan Samaj Party got two, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal one each.

The saffron party won 41.69% of the votes, while the Congress has garnered 39.53% of the popular mandate.

Telangana

Telangana was the only consolation for the Congress on Sunday as the party ended the Bharat Rashtra Samithi’s nine-year tenure in the state.

As of 9.10 pm, the Congress won 63 seats in the southern state and was ahead in one more. The halfway mark in the state is 60 seats. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi won 37 seats and was leading in two places, as per Election Commission figures.

Among the remaining constituencies, the BJP won eight seats, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen got six seats and was leading in one. The Communist Party of India won one seat.

Telangana minister KT Rama Rao congratulated the Congress for winning the people’s mandate and expressed gratitude to the people of the state for giving his party two terms in power.

“Not saddened over the result today, but surely disappointed as it was not in expected lines for us,” he said. “But we will take this in our stride as a learning and will bounce back.”

Also read: Why KCR lost Telangana – and what it means for state parties