The BJP was racing towards power in the Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and had a distinct edge in Chhattisgarh while the Congress was poised to oust the BRS in Telangana in a crucial electoral exercise ahead of Lok Sabha polls just months away.

As votes were counted for assembly elections to the four states on Sunday, trends on the Election Commission website threw up a patchwork that could end up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's imprint on it. It seemed to be pro-incumbency in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and anti-incumbency in the Congress-ruled states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

The elections, which set the momentum for the 2024 polls, have seen the BJP and the Congress go head to head in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Telangana was a direct contest between the Congress and the K Chandrashekhar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) that was hoping for a hat-trick.

"People have blessed BJP in three states... endorsed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and rejected the Congress' false promises," Union minister Pralhad Joshi said as counting day progressed and celebrations broke out in BJP quarters in several places.

In Madhya Pradesh, the party seemed set for another term in power in Madhya Pradesh with leads in 161 seats and the Congress trailing far behind at 66 in the 230-member assembly. "Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji is in the hearts of the people of Madhya Pradesh. The state is also in the heart of Modi ji," said four-term Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The BJP has been in power in the state for 18 years.

Basking in his hour of glory, he said the state government implemented schemes like the Ladli Lakshmi and Ladli Behna and a lot of work was done for the welfare of farmers, poor people and youth. As many as 2,533 candidates were in the fray, including Chouhan and his predecessor and rival, veteran Congress leader Kamal Nath.