Polls over, CM hunt begins, it is over to Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi, Dec 12: The Congress was poised on Wednesday to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks and energizing opposition efforts to stop the BJP juggernaut before general elections next year.

Belying predictions of exit polls, the Congress won convincingly in Chhattisgarh, less so in Rajasthan, and scraped through with a wafer-thin lead in Madhya Pradesh, final results showed after the vote count on Tuesday.

All eyes now were on party president Rahul Gandhi's choice of chief ministers of the three states, which he will decide after the victorious MLAs finish their meetings in the three states.

Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi described the party's good showing in the Hindi heartland states as a victory over the BJP's "negative politics".

It was a "Congress victory over the BJP's negative politics," she said.

The Congress Legislature Party in Rajasthan has passed a resolution authorising Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to take the final decision on the CM candidate.

"We have passed a resolution authorising Rahul Gandhi to take a final decision on the name of chief minister. We raised our hands and passed the resolution. After that, individual opinion is being sought from the MLAs," Congress lawmaker Parasram Mordia told reporters in Jaipur.

Mordia said that when he was asked about his opinion, he said his choice was "high-command", meaning whatever the party president decides.

"The party has won because of Rahul Gandhi and he has to take a call on that," he said.