BJP leaders credit Modi for win; 'disappointed' Congress top brass accept defeat

As Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders attribute the party's success in the state assembly elections to 'Modi magic', Congress leaders seem a chastened and subdued lot after the loss in key states such as Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

A disappointed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) set the ball rolling saying that they will "overcome temporary setbacks" .

Kharge on Sunday said the party's performance in the assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh was disappointing and added it would overcome the "temporary setbacks" and prepare fully for the Lok Sabha elections along with INDIA bloc partners.

He thanked the people of Telangana, where the party is on course to dislodge the BRS from power and form the government. Kharge said the party put up a spirited campaign in all these four states and acknowledged the efforts of lakhs of Congress workers.

"I thank the people of Telangana for the mandate we have received from them. I also thank all those who voted for us in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. 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 in a post on X.

Meanwhile, MP Congress leader Kamal Nath said, "We accept the decision of the voters of Madhya Pradesh in this contest for democracy. I congratulate BJP and hope that they will live up to the support people have given them."

Further, he said, "We will analyse the loopholes and why we were not able to make the voters understand our point. We will hold discussions with all, be it a winning or losing candidate," Kamal Nath told a press briefing.

It’s Modi Magic all the way

While the Congress leaders go into an introspective mode, BJP leadership is in a jubilant mood reiterating that the victory is all due to Modi.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the incumbent chief minister whose leadership had been put to test in Madhya Pradesh credited the BJP victory to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while praising Modi’s bonding with the people of his state. “Modi ji MP ke mann mein hain aur Modi ji ke mann mein MP hai (Modiji lives in the heart of MP and MP lives in the heart of Modiji),” he said.

Speaking on the trends, Chouhan further said, “He held public rallies here and appealed to the people and that touched people's hearts. These trends are a result of that. Double-engine government properly implemented the schemes of the Central Government and the schemes that were formed here also touched people's hearts. Madhya Pradesh became a family...I had said earlier too that the BJP would get a comfortable and grand majority as people's love for us was visible everywhere.”

Tectonic shift, say BJP leaders

BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said the assembly poll results indicated a tectonic shift in India's polity. “It's a historic win; more than two-third majority in MP after 18 years, a decisive defeat for the Congress in Rajasthan and a complete majority (for BJP) in Chhattisgarh,” the former Union minister said. “Desh mein ek hi guarantee chalti hai – Modi guarantee (There is only guarantee that has a currency in the country – Modi guarantee ),” Prasad wrote in a post on X.

After BJP's huge victory in Madhya Pradesh, Union minister Jyotiratidya Scindia took a dig at Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi who had shamed him for his height. “Someone had spoken about my height. The people of Gwalior-Malwa have shown how tall they are,” Scindia said.

His party colleague Smriti Irani, while extolling about Modi’s magic, said anti-Modi jibes proved expensive to the Congress. “Modi ji guarantees development. As a BJP worker, I express my gratitude to the voters for their votes. Today's result reflects the Modi magic,” Irani said.

Former three-term chief minister of Chhattisgarh and BJP leader Raman Singh also spoke of the faith that the state electorate has put in the central leadership of the BJP. “The people of the state have shown faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's work and guarantees. The PM, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda gave sufficient time (for electioneering) in Chhattisgarh,” Raman said.

'Wizard has lost his touch'

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat took a jibe at Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and said “Jadugar ka jadoo khatam ho gaya hai (The wizard has lost his touch)."

However, BJP leader Vasundhara Raje was measured in her reaction to the BJP’s historic victory over the Congress in Rajasthan. She gave credit to the central leadership and the party workers for the victory. “This victory is of the mantra of ‘Sabka saath, sabka vishwas and sabka prayaas’ given by PM Modi. It is the victory of the guarantee given by the PM. It is also the victory of the strategy given by Amit Shah and the able leadership provided by Nadda ji. Most importantly, it's a victory for our party workers,” Raje said.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury expressed surprise over her party’s poor show in Chhattisgarh and said Bhupesh Baghel was very steady and delivered on many fronts.

'Surely disappointed': BRS

The results turned out to be no less a shocker for the BRS in Telangana as the party had expected its good work would help it to win the elections the third time.

BRS leader KT Rama Rao was generous in accepting the defeat and congratulated the Congress for winning the mandate. “Not saddened over the result today, but surely disappointed as it was not in expected lines for us. But we will take this in our stride as a learning and will bounce back,” KT Rama Rao wrote in a post on X.

“People of Telangana were fed up with KCR's 10-year rule. They voted for development,” Congress leader DK Shivakumar said on his party’s victory in Telangana.

Prime Minister Modi is expected to address BJP party workers after the poll results on Sunday (December 3) evening.