Assembly polls: BJP wins 3 out of 4 states, Congress to form government in Telangana

In a morale booster result ahead of general elections in six months, the BJP on Sunday appeared set to win three of four states in key Assembly polls.Seen as a big boost for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP by Sunday evening established clear leads in all three heartland states and appeared set to win them, as per trends.
BJP's performance was better than widely expected as opinion and exit polls had suggested a close contest between Modi's party and the main opposition Congress, indicating BJP and Modi's growing popularity despite a decade in power nationally.
The heartland states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and the southern state of Telangana, voted last month in the last set of provincial elections before the national vote due by May, when Modi seeks a third term.
Mizoram too voted along with these states, but counting of votes will be taken up on Monday.
Although the Congress won Telangana -- its second victory in the south this year -- Sunday's outcome is seen as a setback to the party and its leader Rahul Gandhi as it was wiped out of the politically critical heartland.
"We always said we will win the heartland states," BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda said. "The results are the outcome of our finest political strategy and work on the ground."
BJP members and supporters burst firecrackers, distributed sweets and danced in the streets to the beat of drums in the three states.
The outcome of these Assembly polls poses a new challenge to the
28-party opposition alliance led by the Congress party that has come together to jointly fight the BJP. Politicians and analysts, however, say state elections do not always influence the outcome of the general elections or accurately indicate national voter mood.
In Rajasthan, BJP has won the majority with 104 seats and still leading on 11 others. The Congress has taken 60 seats and is leading on 9. Bharat Adiwasi party has claimed 3 seats. Others have won 7 seats and leading on 5. Voting was held in 199 out of 200 constituencies. Election Commission has postponed the polls in one assembly seat following the death of a candidate.
Former Union Minister and BJP leader Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore has won in Jhotwara constituency. Former state Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has won from Jhalrapatan seat. Congress leader Sachin Pilot has won from Tonk assembly seat while Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is leading in Sardarpura Assembly constituency. 
In Madhya Pradesh, ruling BJP has won 92 seats and is leading in 71 seats. Congress has won 26 seats and leading in 40. One seat has gone to others. Chief Minister and BJP leader Shivraj Singh has won from Budhni seat by over 1 lakh votes. Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Prahlad Patel are also leading. Union Minsiter Faggan Singh Kulaste of BJP has lost from Niwas(ST) constituency. State Home Minister Dr Narrotam Mishra is trailing in Datia. Congress leader and former Chief Minister Kamal Nath is leading in Chhindwara.
In Chhattisgarh, the BJP is all set to regain power after five years in the state . The party has won 34 seats so far and is leading in another 21 seats. The ruling Congress got 19 seats and is leading in 15 seats. Nine ministers of the Bhupesh Baghel government lost the election while only 3 incumbent ministers managed to win. Incumbent Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel got elected from the Patan seat by over 19,000 votes.
In Telangana, the Congress has won 41 of the 119 seats and in 23 seats, the official declaration is yet to be announced. The ruling BRS, which was hoping for a hat-trick of victory, got 39 seats. The BJP ended up at the 3rd position with eight seats. The AIMIM won seven seats. CPI in alliance with Congress won the lone seat it contested. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao won from Gajwel but lost in Kamareddy. PCC president Revanth Reddy won Kodangal but lost Kamareddy.