Modi’s party loses key state elections

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party has suffered an embarrassing defeat in three state elections in its Hindu stronghold months before national elections.

According to results announced by the Election Commission, the opposition Congress party was a clear winner in Chhattisgarh state, and fell one seat short of a majority in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

With a regional party offering support, the Congress party is set to rule all three states, replacing Mr Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

Voting in the three states was spread over the past two weeks.

The setback to the BJP is expected to revive the political fortunes of the Congress party under Rahul Gandhi, the 48-year-old scion of the Nehru-gandhi family, who took over as party president from his mother Sonia Gandhi a year ago.

He campaigned extensively for his party in the three states.