In what turned out to be a fierce competitive election, the party of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to make a mark in any of the five states which held elections. The Indian National Congress, which is in opposition in the center, took a clear lead in three states. The other two states went to regional parties. The stage is now set for the 2019 national elections, and as Ravinder Bawa reports, the negotiating has already begun.  

Celebrations started in the Congress headquarter early in the day as the trends of state election results started pouring in. It is the first massive victory for the party after 2014 national elections in which it lost to the ruling BJP.

Since then elections were held in 22 states but Congress could make a mark in just two. But now with more states under its wings, the party is all geared up for the 2019 national elections.

Away from the celebratory mood at the Congress camp, the BJP headquarter wore a deserted look as the party lost in the states where it had a strong stronghold.

So does it ring an alarm bell for BJP as far as the 2019 national elections are concerned?

This debacle will force the party to rethink their poll strategy for 2019 elections. Already the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh which is the ideological parent of the ruling BJP has raised the pitch for the construction of a Ram temple in disputed site of Ayodhya. Building Hindu temple has been a part of the BJP's manifesto. So after this loss will the BJP resort to sectarian politics to consolidate votes.

T.K. RAJLAKSHMI POLITICAL COMMENTATOR "We have seen that the voices of Hindutva have become louder and after this in the next few weeks and months we will see more of communal politics."

While it is time for both large parties to strategies for 2019 elections, these results have surely given more confidence to Congress. They with other opposition parties have already working to form a grand alliance to stop BJP from coming to power in 2019. Ravinder Bawa, CGTN, Delhi.