Bhopal: The BJP retained power in Madhya Pradesh having bagged 126 seats as votes polled November 27 in elections to the 230-seat state Assembly were being counted on Monday.
Of the 203 seats filled so far, the Congress has won on 62 while others including the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Bhartiya Jan Shakti (BJS) Party, the Samajwadi Party and independents together have bagged 15 seats.
BJP supporters all across the sprawling state broke into celebrations dancing to the beating of drums and bursting crackers. "It is the victory of the people of Madhya Pradesh," a jubilant Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.
"It is the victory of the development works of the government," Chouhan said. Asked if he would continue to be the chief minister, he said: "Like a loyal soldier, I will do whatever the party high command asks me to do."
Factors like anti-incumbency, rebellion over ticket distribution and former party leader Uma Bharti's efforts to see BJP out seemed to have had no impact on the party's prospects and people accepted Chief Minister Chouhan's development plank, party leaders feel.
Bharti's BJS has not been able to open its account so far and its candidates were trailing behind in all the 215 seats it contested. Bharti herself has lost from Tikamgarh constituency - her home turf.
The state went to the hustings Nov 27 when the Mumbai terror drama was unfolding and recorded 69.35 percent turnout.
With the BJP bagging 126 seats and leading in majority of other seats, party workers across the sprawling state broke into celebrations as votes polled in the assembly elections.
The opposition Congress was dumbstruck and its party offices wore a deserted look. But its leaders still maintained that the previous BJP administration was neck deep into corruption.
BJP workers gathered outside the party's state headquarters in Bhopal dancing to the beating of drums and bursting of firecrackers. There was a similar celebration mood at all the district headquarters in the state.
"We were confident of getting a clear majority. The results show that our confidence was not misplaced. It is the victory of the party, its programmes and workers," BJP state president Narendra Singh Tomar told IANS.
In the outgoing assembly, BJP had 173 members while main opposition Congress had 38.
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