Meanwhile in Raipur: The Chhattisgarh BJP headquarters
Counting trends show that the BJP is headed for a crushing defeat in Chhattisgarh, where it has been in power for 15 years.
In Short
- Congress stars on counting day with gains in BJP-ruled states
- It's leading in over 60 out of 90 Chhattisgarh seats
- But it appears headed for losses in Mizoram, Telangana
At the Congress headquarters in Delhi, they warmed the winter air with fireworks, threw petals, and rolled on the ground in ecstasy. In recent elections, occasions to party have been few and far between for India's main opposition party. But today, counting trends from five states, including three ruled by arch-rivals BJP, brought good news.
The Congress is back. At the time when this story was filed, the numbers pointed to an easy majority in Chhattisgarh, and a likely one in Rajasthan. Even Madhya Pradesh, a close race throughout the day, could end up in the Congress's kitty. Surely, this surge in the Hindi heartland made the Mizoram and Telangana debacles easier to swallow.
Look at photos of the Chhattisgarh BJP headquarters in Raipur, tweeted this afternoon by ANI, and a different story emerges.
Consolation is sparse for India's ruling party. We still don't know how the Madhya Pradesh story will end. No matter. Given its track record in recent state elections, the saffron party will be stung by today's trends.
The Congress is leading in 63 out of 90 Chhattisgarh seats. Unlike in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, its position here has seemed unassailable throughout the day. You can imagine the scene outside its office in Raipur.
Loudspeakers blared. Sticks landed on drums.
A man stood nearby, his neck garlanded in a scarf of saffron, white and green, and swayed his hips to the rhythm.
#WATCH: Celebrations outside Congress office in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Congress is leading on 60 out of 90 seats in the state. #AssemblyElections2018 pic.twitter.com/8Bgf0Wu0Gv ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018
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