The Congress on Saturday claimed the mandate of the Lok Sabha polls has been a "moral, political and personal" defeat for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said efforts were now being made to justify his "pathetic" electoral performance.

The BJP has won 240 seats in the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls, falling short of the halfway mark in the 543-member House, but the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) together won 293 seats. The Congress has won 99 seats.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the drumbeat to find silver linings in the mandate that has been a "moral, political and personal" defeat for Modi has started.

"It is being propagated that Mr. Narendra Modi is the first to receive a mandate thrice in a row after Jawaharlal Nehru. How leading a party to 240 seats and becoming an 'one-third' Pradhan Mantri is a mandate is not explained," the Congress leader said.

"Nehru, on the other hand, got 364 seats in 1952, 371 seats in 1957, and 361 seats in 1962 - a 2/3rd majority each time. Yet he remained a complete democrat, nurturing Parliament so very carefully with his constant presence," Ramesh said in a social media post.

Neither is Modi the only man since Nehru to be sworn in thrice - in a row or not, he said.  Ramesh pointed out that Atal Bihari Vajpayee was sworn in thrice in 1996, 1998 and 1999.

And Indira Gandhi was sworn in 4 times in 1966, 1967, 1971 and 1980, he said.  "The drumbeaters will look for anything to justify Mr Narendra Modi's pathetic electoral performance in 2024," Ramesh said.

In another post, the Congress general secretary said the 2024 elections have been a "moral defeat" for Modi and the BJP, while being a "morale booster" for his party.