New Delhi: A day after facing electoral setbacks in the Hindi heartland states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi called for a parliamentary strategy meeting at her 10 Janpath residence in New Delhi on Monday.

The meeting is scheduled to start at 6 pm and will be attended by many senior Congress leaders. The crucial Congress huddle comes as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tightened its grip in the Hindi heartland with assembly victories in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh. In some consolation for the Congress, the party managed to oust the KCR-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Telangana. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) successfully defied anti-incumbency in Madhya Pradesh, securing a decisive victory and maintaining its stronghold for an impressive 18 years.

The BJP achieved a commanding win by clinching 163 seats, attaining a remarkable two-thirds majority in the 230-member House. On the other hand, the Congress, despite its efforts, managed to secure only 66 seats. Even in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, Congress could only secure 65 and 35 seats, respectively, and had to give up power in both states to the BJP, which comfortably crossed the majority mark. Following the massive defeat faced by the Congress in the Hindi belt, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge has called a meeting of the INDIA alliance on December 6.

Conceding defeat, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said his party humbly accepts the mandate of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan, and asserted that the battle of ideology would continue. "We humbly accept the mandate of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan - the battle of ideology will continue. I am very thankful to the people of Telangana - we will definitely fulfill the promise of making Prajalu Telangana," he tweeted.

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