Congress president Rahul Gandhi, facing his first test as party chief and his first loss two days after taking charge of party affairs from Sonia Gandhi, today said that he accepted the people’s verdict and congratulated the new government in both states.
“The Congress party accepts the verdict of the people and congratulates the new governments in both states. I thank the people of Gujarat and Himachal with all my heart for the love they showed me,” Rahul said on Twitter.
Rahul also addressed his party workers and said he was proud of them for standing up to the BJP which he said fought the elections with anger.
“My Congress brothers and sisters, you have made me very proud. You are different than those you fought because you fought anger with dignity,” Rahul said.
“You have demonstrated to everyone that the Congress’s greatest strength is its decency and courage.”
The congress party faces defeat in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
As per data given out by the Election Commission as of 4:45 pm, the BJP was leading from 99 seats in Gujarat, seven ahead of the halfway mark. The saffron party is set to take power for the sixth consecutive term.
In Himachal Pradesh, the BJP is set to form government, displacing the Congress, leading on 44 seats while the Congress was leading on 21 seats.
