BJP juggernaut rolls on in Gujarat, tramples Congress in Himachal Pradesh

The BJP called the results a vote for development pushed by Prime Minister Narendera Modi, who was the tireless star campaigner in both states. The Congress took solace in the fact that it bettered its tally in Gujarat, the home turf of Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah

Still, when the final results are in later in the day, it will be clear that another Congress-ruled state has slipped from its grasp into BJP control. It now rules only Karnataka and Punjab among the major states

"This is a vote for development and trust for Narendra Modi," Union minister Jitendra Singh told reporters

"We have set a record in the history of the BJP by winning consecutive assembly polls... Anti-incumbency is not working there. The prime minister's popularity is intact. Amit Shah's strategy has worked," BJP vice president Shyam Jaju said

As the victories became clear, party workers gathered in the streets and headquarters, distributing sweets and bursting firecrackers

According to Election Commission results and trends for all the 182 seats in Gujarat, the BJP won 38 and was ahead in 60. It needs 93 to form a majority government. The Congress won 30 and was leading in 48.

Congress had won 61 seats in the 2012 elections while the BJP had got 115

The BJP's dip this time was touted by the Congress as a reflection of Congress President Rahul Gandhi's efforts during the campaign, when he appeared to have improved his stature as a politician

"The Congress' tally has gone up there, while the BJP's numbers have fallen. This is the start of Rahul Gandhi's political story," senior Congress leader Kamal Nath told reporters outside Parliament

His colleague, Renuka Chowdary, added: "Congress has done brilliantly. Our strength has increased. Morally, it has been a brilliant intervention of Rahul Gandhi." 

In Himachal Pradesh, the BJP won 8 seats and was ahead in 38 seats while the ruling Congress won 4 and was ahead in 14 in the 68-member house. A majority will come with 35 seats.

In the outgoing house, Congress had 36 seats, and BJP 26.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was earlier trailing after the count of postal ballots, has a strong lead over Congress' Indranil Rajyaguru in Rajkot West seat.

However, Prem Kumar Dhumal, BJP's chief ministerial candidate in Himachal Pradesh, was trailing behind Congress's Rajinder Rana in Sujanpur, after he changed his traditional constituency of Hamirpur. He was made the CM face only nine days before the pollling

At this stage, the BJP had a vote share of 49.1 per cent while it was 41.5 per cent for the Congress in Gujarat. Its vote share in 2012 was 38.93 percent. The BJP's margin of victory in a dozen constituences was said to be 2000 to 3000

The Dec. 9 and 14 elections took place in the backdrop of GST and demonetisation, which the opposition had claimed would inflict a huge dent in Modi's popularity

Modi and Shah campaigned vigorously, crisscrossing the state to hold scores of rallies in what appeared to be a trailer for the next Lok Sabha elections, which should be held before May 2019.

The victories establish not only the BJP's supremacy but also Modi's apparent invincibility. Yet, it also made Gandhi, who recently assumed Congress presidentiship, a serious challenger as he appeared more confident in taking on the BJP stalwarts.

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel is ahead in Mehsana against Congress candidate Jivabhai Patel by 3,000 votes. Mehsana was the epicentre of the Patidar reservation agitation

The BJP has won every election since 1995. However, it was out of power for a couple of years due to party infighting and rebellion by Shankersinh Vaghela. BJP came back to power in 1998, and has ruled uninterrupted since then

In Himachal Pradesh, Congress veteran and six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his son Vikramaditya Singh are leading from Arki and Shimla(Rural) respectively

Himachal Pradesh has a tradition of changing the government in every election

The BJP ousted the Congress in 1990 and the Congress avenged the defeat in 1993. The BJP formed the government with the help of Himachal Vikas Congress in 1998 and the Congress was back in power in 2003.