Madhya Pradesh election results: Congress stakes claim, wait says Governor

Bhopal, Dec 12: An official appointment would be given only after the situation in Madhya Pradesh is made clear by the Election Commission of India, the Governor's office said after the Congress sought an appointment in Madhya Pradesh.

In a late night development, the Congress staked claim to form the next government in Madhya Pradesh and also wrote a letter to this effect to Anandiben Patel, the Governor of the state, who was formerly the chief minister of Gujarat.

Kamal Nath said in his letter that the Congress has emerged as the single largest party with majority support. All the independents have in addition assured support to the Congress party, he also said. Kamal Nath said that he would meet with all senior Congress leaders and appraise about the next government in Madhya Pradesh.

At 5.30 am the Congress had won or was leading in 115 of the 230 seats. The BJP tally on the other hand stood at 108. The majority mark in MP is 116.

So far three independents have won, while another is leading. The BSP led by Mayawati is leading in two seats, while the Samajwadi Party in one. The BSP is likely to back the Congress and the party had said on Tuesday that it would try and ensure that the BJP does not form the government.

Congress president, Rahul Gandhi had said at a presser on Tuesday that the ideology of the SP, BSP and Congress is the same and different from that of the BJP.

The MP election results has taken a long time to be declared. Counting has lasted almost 21 hours. Currently the Congress has a vote share of 40.9 per cent and the BJP 41. In 2013, the BJP had won 165 seats, while the Congress had managed just 113.