Congress wins three states, BJP retains two

The Congress Party is back in power in Rajasthan and Mizoram and retained Delhi; while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been able to hold Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

The emerging results to Assembly polls show a 3:2 split in favour of Congress, providing a much-needed boost to the Congress-led UPA just ahead of general elections due in April-May 2009.

Congress headed for a hatrick today in Delhi, bagging 42 seats, leaving its rival BJP way behind with 23 seats.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and five of her cabinet colleagues were among the successful candidates of Congress in the keenly contested electoral battle for the 70-member House.

In Mizoram, the Congress was back in power after a decade when it got a majority routing the ruling Mizo National Front.

The party secured 21 of the 23 seats for which results have been declared in a House of 40. Two-time Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla won from both Serchhip and South Tuipui seats.

BJP can draw some satisfaction by retaining two states -- Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

In Madhya Pradesh, BJP got an absolute majority winning 122 seats and leading in 14 contituencies in the 230-member assembly.

The Congress has won on 53 seats and is leading in 21. Others have got 16 and are leading in four constituencies.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has won the Budhni seat, defeating his nearest Congress rival Mahesh Rajput by a margin of nearly 40,000 votes.

In Rajasthan, the Congress is bracing up to form the next government. Of the results and trends available for all the 200 seats the Congress has won 88 and is leading in 7.

The Party is, however, falling short of the half way mark. It will have to depend on the support of some independents to form the Government.

BJP has bagged 67 and is leading in 12 seats. Others have got 18 seats and are leading in 8.

Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje has won the Jhalarapatan seat while Congress's chief ministerial candidate Ashok Gehlot won from Sardarpura seat.