Cong, BJP win and lose, get no verdict for 2009

NO CONGRESS WAVE: A Congress worker in Jammu. The party won three state elections on Monday.

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New Delhi: The ‘mini-general’ elections in five states have thrown up a mixed verdict for the country’s two main political parties: Congress won in three states on Monday and the BJP two.

The Congress retained power for a record third five-year term in Delhi, wrested Mizoram and ousted the BJP in Rajasthan while losing to it decisively in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in elections that were the last popularity test ahead of the Lok Sabha battle.

BJP supporters celebrated in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, but party leaders admitted that the results were disappointing, especially the rout in Delhi where they had been confident of ending 10 years of Congress rule, more so since voting in all states barring Chhattisgarh took place in the shadow of the Mumbai terror carnage.

The outcome of the staggered elections between November 14 and December 4 sparked off speculation about early Lok Sabha elections, but Congress leader Digvijay Singh of the Congress argued against it.

The Congress’ most important victory came in Delhi where Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit crushed the BJP, winning 42 seats in the 70-member house with results yet to be declared from four constituencies.

In Rajasthan’s 200-member legislature, the Congress emerged the largest party winning 96 seats and was set to form the Government taking help from among 25 independents including rebels from its own ranks.

And in northeastern Mizoram, the Congress ended the Mizo National Front's (MNF) 10-year reign by winning 32 of the 40 assembly seats.

But the Congress was routed in Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP, led by Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan bagged 142 of the 230 seats. In neighbouring Chhattisgarh, the BJP overcame hours of suspense during counting to emerge the winner with 50 seats in its kitty -- of the state legislature's 90.

Political analyst G V L. Narasimha Rao, however, warned that there was no cause for cheer for the BJP or the Congress following the results.

"The Congress is certainly doing better than expected but not as well as they should have done to win a national election," Rao said. "The BJP is doing worse than expected and does not look like it is in the lead to come to power nationally."