Sense of jubilation at BJP HQ with party likely to surpass 2014 show

Supporters gather in front of TV as numbers flash for Amethi. Rahul Gandhi trails Smriti Irani by around 6,500 votes around noon time

A huge cheer went up in the crowd of BJP supporters gathered in front of the television at the party's national headquarters in Central Delhi, as numbers flashed for Amethi. Rahul Gandhi was trailing to Smriti Irani by around 6,500 votes by this time, just before noon.

"Someone get an oxygen cylinder fast, Rahul baba is about to faint," quipped one of the supporters, the BJP flag resting on his shoulders. Whether this jibe is premature or not, only the final results will say. For now, the celebrations started early at the party's imposing headquarters.

By noon, around 2,000 supporters had already gathered, some inside the office compound, most spilling onto the street, blocking traffic on the busy Deen Dayal Upadhayay Marg, a major arterial road. They were waving BJP flag, bursting crackers, dancing to drum beats, giving impromtu bytes to scores or gathered reporters and chanting slogans.

Slogans which ranged from "Ek hi maksad, ek hi naam, Jai Shri Ram, Jai Shri Ram" to "Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi" to the outright bizarre "Tel laga lo Dabur kaa, naam mita do Babar kaa".

This was an election fought and won on one name, that if Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His presence was everywhere in the party's offices, in large life sized cutouts, posters and even kids made to dress up as him.

“This election again proves that nationalism is the biggest issue in this country. And globally there is trend that only nationalists parties win. No place should be there for antinational sentiments.” Satyendra Chauhan a BJP supporter who ce from Meerut, said.