2019 elections: BJP may lose 70% seats in Hindi heartland, Congress to gain

The bulk of seats that the BJP may lose is likely to be picked up by the Congress, dramatically altering its leveraging ability

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah, senior leader L K Advani and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during BJP Parliamentary Party meeting at Parliament House. (Photo: PTI)

Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay | The Wire

Last Updated : Dec 21 2018 | 9:39 AM IST

There is unanimity that the keen contest resulting in a photo finish in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan has thrown open the race for 2019. It makes sense therefore, to examine electoral statistics from the past and visualise emerging trends.

Needless to say that in addition to the two states, Chhattisgarh – in which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost too – is part of the Hindi heartland of north India. It is one of the two regions that propelled Narendra Modi to power in 2014. When we talk about the Hindi heartland, it refers to ten states – Himachal Pradesh,