Mandate was against Congress, we have accepted result: Sachin Pilot

Sachin Pilot, president of the Rajasthan unit of the Congress Party, said Saturday that the Congress Party has accepted its huge loss in the 2014 general elections.

The BJP-led NDA secured an absolute majority in elections for the 16th Lok Sabha by claiming 337 seats. Of these, the BJP won in 283 seats. Among the other 15 parties in the coalition, only the SHS (19 seats) and the TDP (16) managed to achieve double digit figures.

In contrast, the ruling UPA could manage to win only 58 seats. Of these, the Congress won 43, its worst electoral performance since 1977. The remaining nine members of the ruling coalition could manage only single digit results, with the NCP coming second with five seats, and the RJD with four.

"We have accepted the verdict of the people. The mandate is against the Congress Party. However, I think we need to evaluate this. I have tried to do my work for all of these five years. It is a challenge for us, and we need to think and discuss it," said Pilot of the result.

Friday's result was the largest anti-incumbency vote in India's history. It was driven by a desire for change and anger against corruption and the sluggish economy fanned directly or indirectly by the Congress-led UPA regime, which was in power for a decade.

It also represented the people's hope for a better India under BJP prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi's watch.