The BJP has won the elections in three of the four states whose results were declared on Sunday. It has won in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, while the Congress bagged Telengana. In Mizoram, the Zoram People’s Movement is headed for a majority.

The BJP has stamped its dominance in the Hindi heartland. The results, however, seem to have taken many by surprise – especially the margins of victory. What went wrong for the Congress, especially in Chhattisgarh, where it was expected to win? What were the deciding factors in MP and Rajasthan? What lessons can Congress draw from its win in Telangana? And what do the Congress’s losses mean for the INDIA alliance, in the context of the 2024 general elections?