Rahul gives BJP jitters in Gujarat, Congress claims moral win

New Delhi : Two days after his elevation as Congress president, Rahul Gandhi gave the jitters to the BJP as the saffron party stole a narrow win in Gujarat following a day of curious twists and turns.
There were times when the Congress closed in heavily to the BJP with the Election Commission trends indicating a neck-and-neck fight until the BJP sprung forth in later rounds powered by urban votes.
The Congress obviously claimed moral victory in Gujarat where Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and the entire Union Cabinet had spent days securing electoral ground. We have lost a front, not the war, was the Congress’ take. The claim has some merit considering today’s winning edge of the BJP is its lowest since 1995 when the party assumed power in the state.
Besides, the victory margins in 10 seats are as low as 1,000 votes and in another 26 these are 3,000 votes. Gandhi took the result in his stride conceding defeat and congratulating his cadres for fighting fair and well.
“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. My Congress brothers and sisters, you have made me very proud. You are different than those you fought because you fought anger with dignity. You have demonstrated to everyone that the Congress’s greatest strength is its decency and courage,” he tweeted around 4 pm.