The Opposition Congress has interpreted the results of the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections as a “launching pad” for the new leadership under Rahul Gandhi for the upcoming Assembly elections and the general elections in 2019.

The party vowed to continue with the “issue-based” campaign under the new president’s leadership against the BJP-led government at the Centre and in various States.

Though the party lost both the States, the Congress camp was confident it could dent the BJP in its stronghold.

“We have scared Modi in his den,” said Ashok Gehlot, AICC General Secretary in charge of Gujarat. He said whatever may be the result, the “issue-based campaign” has won or will in the upcoming polls. “In the 2018 Assembly elections and in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the atmosphere in Gujarat will help us.”

Senior leader Sushilkumar Shinde, who holds the charge of the party in Himachal Pradesh, on a lighter vein, said the Congress was expecting just 4-5 seats in the election. But he said the people sent 21 MLAs of the party to the Assembly.

The Congress was also worried about a weak organisation, a key factor behind the loss. Party’s communication cell chief Randeep Singh Surjewala said the margin of the BJP’s win in about a dozen seats was less than 1,000 and it was less than 3,000 in another 13 seats.

“We will make our organisation better,” Surjewala said. He said raising issues such as job loss, demonetisation and dubbing GST as ‘Gabbar Singh Tax’ has helped the party.

Rahul Gandhi said his party accepts the verdict, and congratulated the new governments in both the States. “I thank the people of Gujarat and Himachal with all my heart for the love they showed me,” Gandhi tweeted.

“My Congress brothers and sisters, you have made me very proud. You are different than those you fought because you fought anger with dignity. You have demonstrated to everyone that the Congress’ greatest strength is its decency and courage,” he added.

A party insider said when Shankersinh Vaghela resigned from the party in July with a group of his MLAs, the party was groping in the dark about how to fight the BJP in the Assembly elections. The victory of senior leader Ahmed Patel to the Rajya Sabha, despite all the efforts by the BJP, lifted the spirits of the party. Soon after that, the speeches made by Rahul Gandhi in the US were well received in the social media and his popularity started rising.

The decisions of three anti-BJP young leaders — Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mevani and Alpesh Thakor — to join hands with Gandhi further consolidated the Opposition base in the State.

“Rahul Gandhi got warm welcome across the State. It was something similar to what (former Prime Minister) Indira Gandhi used to get,” Gehlot said.

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