So, the much-awaited results for the Gujarat assembly elections were finally announced on Monday (December 18) and amidst a tight contest given by Congress although not enough for Congress to steal Gujarat from BJP, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to retain its seat for the sixth time by the skin of its teeth and bagged 99 seats. The opposition headed by Congress’ new president Rahul Gandhi performed beyond expectations and the Grand Old Party won a handsome 80 seats just missing the majority mark of 92 by a whisker. The election battle was a heated one and lots of rhetoric, emotion were in play during the course of campaigning and in the end ‘the son of the soil’ i.e. Narendra Modi pulled enough votes for the saffron party to emerge victorious.

The elections were very tense and it literally went down to the wire and Congress should be mighty pleased with its efforts and piggy backing on the young leaders in Alpesh Thakore, Jignesh Mevani and Hardik Patel paid dividends for the Congress and Mevani and Thakore became members of the constituent assembly for the first time. As the poll rhetoric was getting shrill by the day, Rahul Gandhi maintained his dignity and focussed and spoke on issues and grievances faced by the common man and proved that he is ready to be a hardcore politician and will be a serious contender in the next general elections.