Congress - 45 seats/leads: Has Rahul Gandhi managed to destroy the grand old party of India nurtured by his family?

Congress party's performance, along with its allies, has been dismal throughout the country. Almost all the senior leaders and union cabinet ministers have lost, barring a few.

Narendra Modi swept the entire western belt by bagging some 120 out of the 130 seats in Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The people of Gujarat have given a unique gift to their son of the soil by putting all the 26 seats in his kitty -- a feat achieved for the first time by any political party since Independence.

However, the outcome of the 16th general elections has surely not come as a surprise to the leaders of the Indian National Congress. The success of Narendra Modi, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate and now the soon to be former chief minister of Gujarat, along with being known as a progressive leader, can be traced to the fact that India’s heart was set to vote the Congress out more than voting the BJP in. Read more

Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in fact accepted responsibility for the Congress' worst-ever defeat in the Lok Sabha elections but made it clear the party will continue to fight for social harmony and issues of national interest.

Rahul Gandhi has however emerged victorious in his family’s home turf Amethi however by a margin of 70,000 votes, a shameful display in comparison to his 2009 win by approximately a 3.7 lakh margin. Rahul Gandhi has not only been the butt of an entire nation’s jokes but also was constantly prodded by the BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi who referred to him continually as ‘Shehzaada’.

The finale arrived in the form of a press interview where he and Gandhi matriarch Sonia Gandhi took full responsibility for the Congress’ loss and admitting humbly their respect for the will of the nation. She even further went on to say that the mandate was against their party and that they congratulated the BJP on their victory. A statement that does pose a contradiction to the previous days where the Congress openly accused the BJP of divisive politics. The two didn’t take an questions after the statement.

 

LIVE UPDATES:

* Congress suffers yet another humiliating defeat in Delhi

* Praful Patel loses to Nanabhau Falgunrao Patole of the BJP.

* After disastrous defeat, Congress admits disconnect with people. Finding it hard to digest the humiliating defeat, a rattled Congress on Friday admitted a disconnect with the people and said the party needs to introspect and rework its strategy. Senior leaders conceded that they were not expecting such a big downfall. Read More

* Congress wins both seats in Manipur.

* President Pranab Mukherjee's son Abhijit Mukherjee wins from Jangipur. Read More

* Rahul Gandhi retains his Amethi seat, beats out Smriti Irani, wins by a margin of about 70,000 votes.

Congress admits poll defeat

 

I would like to start by congratulating the new Govt : Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/y5GfWQd3gU

— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2014

Sonia Gandhi : We hope that the new Govt will not compromise on the country's unity & integrity #Election2014 pic.twitter.com/q07mQQG4Z6

— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2014

I wish the new Govt all the best : Rahul Gandhi #Election2014 pic.twitter.com/3zn2pHH0Xd

— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2014

At a press conference, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi accept responsibility for Congress' loss this election.

With all humbleness we accept the verdict of the people:Smt.Sonia Gandhi

— INC India (@INCIndia) May 16, 2014

As party president, I take responsibility for the defeat of the defeat : Smt. #SoniaGandhi

— INC India (@INCIndia) May 16, 2014

I hold myself responsible for this defeat : #RahulGandhi

— INC India (@INCIndia) May 16, 2014

* Sonia Gandhi to address media conference shortly

* Ajay Maken loses in New Delhi

* While May 16 has not been a good day for the Indian National Congress, there are a few key leaders who have continued to secure their seat in the Lok Sabha. Shashi Tharoor—the Indian National Congress candidate, has successfully won his Thiruvananthapuram seat in Kerala. While Bharatiya Janata Party did not secure enough seats in Kerala, his rival Rajagopal gave him a though fight. Shashi Tharoor posted on socia media account on Twitter, his humble act of calling Rajagopal up and thanking him for a tough fight. He also accepted that it was time the Congress put up a good opposition. Read More

* Congress' Jairam Ramesh admits 'Modi effect' at work, says party will emerge stronger, wiser from defeat

* Manmohan Singh congratulates Narendra Modi, to resign on Saturday

Called my BJP rival O.Rajagopal to compliment him on a tough race. Accepted his congratulations. Now the hard work of Opposition begins

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 16, 2014

* Arun Jaitley only wanted to discuss national issues, not issues of Punjab, says Captain Amarinder Singh

* BJP fails to open account in Kerala

* Manmohan Singh to call on President Pranab Mukherjee, submit his government's resignation

* Jairam Ramesh says, results worse than expected

* Union Cabinet to resign by 12 noon, tomorrow

Read Also: Can Priyanka Gandhi save Indian National Congress

* Mumbai embraces BJP-Shiv Sena, dumps Congress-NCP

* President Pranab Mukherjee's son Abhijit Mukherjee leads by 3771 votes in Jangipur

* Naveen Jindal sitting Kurukshetra MP from Haryana, loses to Raj Kumar Saini of BJP

* Rahul Gandhi wins in Amethi beating out Smriti Irani.

* Jyotiraditya Scindia wins from Guna.

* Changan Bhujbal loses in Nashik.

* Congress's Milind Deora has lost from Mumbai South to Shiv Sena candidate Arvind Sawant.

* Priya Dutt loses out to Poonam Mahajan in Bandra.

* Shashi Taroor beats out O Rajagopal in Thiruvananthapuram.

* Sonia Gandhi wins Rae Bareily beating out Ajay Agarwal.

* Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar loses to BJP's Chhedi Paswan from Sasaram, Bihar.

* Prime minister Manmohan Singh will tender his resignation at 12:30pm, tomorrow.

* Karunanidhi accepts defeat in Tamil Nadu.

* Sachin Pilot, outgoing Minister of Corporate Affairs trailing by 1 lakh in Ajmer, Rajasthan.

* Nandan Nilekani accepts defeat in South Bangalore, loses to BJP's Anantha Kumar.

* Three Congress leaders leading in Madhya Pradesh - Jyotiraditya, Kamal Nath and Ajay Singh.

* Sushil Kumar Shinde trailing by 72000 votes in Solapur.

* Priya Dutt trailing in north west by one lakh votes.

* Congress candidate CL Ruala leading in Mizoram.

* Unprecedented sweep by Shiv Sena-BJP in Maharashtra, a traditionally pro-Congress state.

* From the votes counted so far 18.89 lakh voters chose the NOTA option.

* Salman Khurshid is trailing at the fifth position in Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh.

* Early trends show setback for Congress in Maharashtra.

I have worked hard and honestly for the people of Thiruvananthapuram for 5 years. They are the best judge of what they need from their MP.

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 16, 2014

* Kapil Sibal loses to BJP's Harsh Vardhan in Delhi.

* UPA downslide worse than imagined, says Omar Abdullah.

* Rahul Gandhi leads in Amethi by 2293.

* 'Mr modi sold a dream to people of  getting Jupiter and mars for them and people accepted it. We respect people's decision. Not only rahul but all of us are accepting the responsibility of what happened. Some political decisions including andhra Pradesh bifurcation may have gone wrong. It seems some decisions bounced back' Rajiv Shukla of the Congress Party.

* Congress worker Jagdish Sharma appeals to Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi to bring Priyanka into politics full-time. Read More.

* Nandan Nilekani trailing in Bangalore, behind BJP's Anantha Kumar.

* Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to resign taking full responsibility for Congress defeat in state. Earlier, the outcome of the Parliamentary elections may cost Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi his job. Grim exit poll projections for Congress have emboldened a group of rebel Congress MLAs to intensify their demand for his ouster. Read More.

* Congress accepts defeat. Party spokesman Satyavrat Chaturvedi says, 'Collective failure, Rahul Gandhi alone not to blame'.

Rahul Gandhi’s leadership is not to be blamed if the outcome of elections are not in favour of Congress is what most Congress politicians reiterated even before the Exit Poll results were being declared by various news channels and analyst organisations. 

“Rahul Gandhi is not in the government. He is the number two leader in the party. Sonia Gandhi is the president. Then, naturally there is local leadership. Whatever be the result, it will be a collective (responsibility),” said Shakeel Ahmed, the general secretary of AICC during release of Exit Poll results. Read More.

* BJP-Shivsena leads in 39 seats in Maharashtra, Congress trails embarrassingly with just 5

* With India headed for the results of one of its most publicised and heatedly debated elections, the Congress party, a faction of which has almost always ruled the nation right from independence onward, it seems that they might suffer their most crushing defeat in years, on their home turf Amethi. Read More.

* Congress Candidate from Mumbai North West Gurudas Kamat leading.

* Exit polls will be proved wrong says Ajay Maken and other party members.

* Congress's Milind Deora is leading in South Mumbai.

* Congress trailing at 79.

* TMC's Sugata Bose leading in West Bengal.

* Sushil Kumar Shinde trails in Solapur, Maharashtra. BJP's Bappi Lahiri leads in Sreerampur, Bengal.

* Praful Patel trails in Bhandara-Gondiya, Maharashtra.

* Nandan Nilekani trailing in Bangalore.

* Congress' Pratik Patil leading in Sangli.

* In Amritsar, Congress's Amarinder Singh is leading over BJP's Arun Jaitley.

* Rahul Gandhi trailing in Amethi.

* RLD Chief Ajit Singh loses from Baghpat.

* Farooq Abdullah trailing in Srinagar, Rahul Gandhi trailing in Amethi, TMC's Bhaichung Bhutia trailing in Darjeeling.

* Congress trails at 100.

* Ruling Congress candidates and sitting MPs Deepinder Singh Hooda and Ashok Tanwar were leading in Rohtak and Sirsa Parliamentary constituencies, as per the initial trends available. Read More.

* Only state Congress leading is Kerela.

* Kapil Sibal trailing in Chandni Chowk.

* Latest Figures: BJP+ 215 , Congress+ 69, Others 107.

* Rahul Gandhi's supporters seek divine intervention for him to be PM.

* Nagma leading in Meerut.

* Rahul Gandhi up in Amethi.

* Mohammed Kaif leading in Phulpur, Uttar Pradesh.

* Ashok Chavan leads in Nanded

* Tough fight in Amritsar, Congress' Amarinder Singh leads by 1846 votes over BJP's Arun Jaitley.

* Congress President Sonia Gandhi leading in Rae Bareli.

* In Kanpur, BJP's Murli Manohar Joshi is leading over Congress's Sriprakash Jaiswa.

* Meghalaya trends: Congress leads in Shillong by 205 votes.

* Maharashtra NCP leads by 2, Congress - 1, Others - 1.

* Maneka Gandhi trailing in Pilibhit, congress leading there

* Congress at 6 in Uttar Pradesh.

* Rahul Gandhi trailing in Amethi.

* Party wise leads so far: Congress - 22, BJP - 46, AAP - 1.

79 leads, NDA: 37, UPA: 24, Others: 18 @DNA_IamIn @dna #Verdict2014 #myvote2014

— YoshitaSengupta (@YoshitaSengupta) May 16, 2014

* Congress doing well in Kerala

Sonia Gandhi leading in Rae Bareily, Rahul Gandhi leading in Amethi @DNA_IamIn @dna #Verdict2014 #myvote2014

— YoshitaSengupta (@YoshitaSengupta) May 16, 2014

Congress getting good news Raebareli Sonia Gandhi leading, while Modi leads in Varanasi #MyVote2014 @dna

— Pankti Dalal (@panktidalal) May 16, 2014

* Sonia Gandhi leading in Raebareli 

* Rahul Gandhi leading in Amethi

* Maharashtra Congress leading by 1; West Bengal TMC leading by 9

Update 8.31 am: NDA 19, UPA 13, Others 9 @DNA_IamIn @dna Menaka Gandhi trailing from Pilibhit #Verdict2014 #myvote2014

— YoshitaSengupta (@YoshitaSengupta) May 16, 2014

13 leads so far. 8 for BJP, 3 for UPA, 2 others #Verdict2014 @DNA_IamIn @dna

— YoshitaSengupta (@YoshitaSengupta) May 16, 2014

35 leads at 8.28 am. NDA: 17, UPA: 11, Others: 7 @DNA_IamIn @dna #Verdict2014 Uma Bharti leading in Jhansi, Congress leading in Pilibhit

— YoshitaSengupta (@YoshitaSengupta) May 16, 2014

* The results so far:

General Elections numbers are coming in. Follow @ZeeNews for the updated Loksabha Election Results #VerdictOnZee pic.twitter.com/7gDOdiydgC

— Zee News (@ZeeNews) May 16, 2014

* UDF leading by 5 in Kerela

* BJP+ 15(+6), Congress 8(-4), Others 8 (-2)

* Congress leader Ajay Maken agrees their campaign was weak compared to BJP

* BJP's VK Singh leads in Ghaziabad. Latest Leads (14/543) BJP+ 7(+2), Congress 4(-3), Others 4 (+1)

* From Karnataka Kerala (3/543)- BJP+ - 3 (+1), Congress+ 0 (-1), Others 0

* Counting begins in 7 seats in New Delhi

Vadodara : EVMs being opened, counting begins #Elections2014 pic.twitter.com/JLRhMmaUJz

— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2014

Vadodara : Strong room opens, EVMs being taken for counting #Elections2014 pic.twitter.com/ghzk3Ht6uU

— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2014

* Rahul Gandhi is expected to address a press conference along with Sonia Gandhi at 12 noon.

Also Read: What Lok Sabha Elections 2014 taught us: A look at some trends from Narendra Modi's selfie to Rahul Gandhi's 'War of ideology' claims

wenty years have passed since Dr Singh came to be recognised as the architect of the economic reform story in India but the challenge of either the goal of removal of poverty or development for all is far from over. Also Read: 7 Must Read stories on the legacy of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

All the Best to All The #Congress Candidates pic.twitter.com/6XDP8AJ6E3

— INC India (@INCIndia) May 16, 2014

The Congress is trying to put up a brave front in the face of expected defeat in the 2014 general election. The party's social media team has decided to continue with its social media britzkrieg even after the new government takes over at the Centre. This, the team reasons, will keep a check on communal forces in the post-election scenario.

Rahul, who had skipped the farewell dinner hosted by Sonia Gandhi for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday evening, raising political eyebrows, returned to Delhi from his foreign trip on Thursday. Opposition leaders slammed the Congress vice president for not attending the farewell and said this was an insult to Singh.

Despite poor performance on most exit poll surveys following the Lok Sabha elections, the ruling Indian National Congress party has not given up hope. Top Congress leaders remain determined and continue to work on their next move. 

Trashing the predictions of the exit polls, Congress leader Ajay Maken on Thursday said that the party will perform well in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections whose results are going to be announced on Thursday.

"We expect NDA to get below 200 and such a situation will give Congress and like-minded parties a chance to form a coalition govt," a senior Congress leader said on condition of anonymity.

Also Read: Manmohan Singh: The silent man goes, ruffled, beaten but dignified

The general expectation, however, within the party is that it would get between 120 to 140 seats as against the 206 it bagged in the last elections. A party source said Rahul decided to accept defeat after the "war room" functioning from his residence collated data from across the country to estimate the Congress winning only less than 100 seats against 206 it had won in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. Their survey is giving the BJP 225-230.

Congress leaders have also said if secular parties consolidate, they will conceded the post of prime minister to regional players, most likely to Mamata Banerjee. The idea came from senior Congress leader Rashid Alvi, saying, "It may be difficult for us to form the government, but all secular forces should come together to keep Narendra Modi away from power." He suggested that regional parties elect Mamata, who is secular, competent and honest beyond doubt, as their leader. Read More

Keeping in mind that the Hindu-Muslim divide has become apparent in voting preferences across India as per surveys, Rahul Gandhi's message would be aimed at projecting the Congress as the custodian of the ideology of secularism and inclusiveness and the only fighting force to take on the ideology of extreme right and religious fundamentalism. According to surveys, the BJP has got 47% votes in Hindi speaking areas, while in the rest of India, it is still just 24%. The Congress has got 18% votes in Hindi speaking areas and 28% in rest of India. Read more here 

It has also been alleged that Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi would be protected from being blamed of the party's apparent poor result. According to reports, Congress met on May 15 to ensure the entire party takes the blame for the poll defeat if the exit polls results come true. Gandhi alone will not be made to shoulder responsibility if they are defeated.

ALSO READ: Goodbye Prime Minister Manmohan Singh! Hope history is kinder to you than the present

In terms alliances, there is also a talk an "enlarged" UPA-III to stop Narendra Modi from coming to power. The idea of an "enlarged" UPA-III means taking on board new allies and keeping open the issue of leadership to stop Modi from becoming prime minister.

Another Congress leader, Rashid Alvi stated that all regional secular parties should join hands and elect Mamata Banerjee as their leader. Rashid Alvi in a statement said that all regional secular parties should join hands and elect Mamata Banerjee as their leader. She is, as Alvi suggested secular, competent and honest beyond doubt.