Lok Sabha Election Results: Rahul Gandhi congrats PM Modi, concedes defeat to Smriti Irani in Amethi

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the trends for the Lok Sabha polls gave a huge majority to the BJP-led NDA. 

"I had said that during the campaign 'janta maalik hai' and today people have clearly given their decision. I congratulate the PM and BJP," said Rahul while addressing the media. 

"Frankly, today is the not the day to discuss what I think went wrong because people of India have clearly decided that Narendra Modi is going to be their Prime Minister and as an Indian I respect that," he added. 

The Congress chief also said that he takes "cent per cent" responsibility of the defeat suffered by the party. 

He further conceded defeat in Amethi and also congratulated Smriti Irani for the victory in the Congress stronghold. "I respect the decision and congratulate Smriti Irani ji," he said. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday led his Bharatiya Janata Party towards what is certain to be a resounding victory for a second term in office, as his message of nationalism, security, Hindu pride and a New India was wholeheartedly embraced by voters across large swathes of the country. 

With the elections establishing the 68-year-old Modi as the most popular leader in decades, the partial vote count released by the Election Commission showed that BJP will surpass its 2014 performance. 

The trends available for the 542 seats gave a massive 346 to the BJP-led NDA while the UPA was restricted to just 93 seats. 

If the trends stay until final results, the BJP and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance will likely end up with 344 seats, up from 336 in 2014. The BJP, which is now tantalisingly close to the 300 mark in Lok Sabha, had won 282 seats on its own in the last election. 

In Amethi, Rahul Gandhi is trailing to BJP's Smriti Irani by over 35,000 votes. Amethi — one of the most keenly-watched contests in these elections — is a Congress bastion that has been represented by the Congress chief for three consecutive terms since 2004.