The Narendra Modi wave has shown the door too many a number of Congress big guns and so called heavyweights, including 10 ministers like External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid set to finish fifth, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, MoS Sachin Pilot, Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal, former MoS Home and Sports Minister Ajay Maken, HRD Minister M M Pallam Raju, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal besides lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar. Finance Minister P Chidambaram's son Karti is also set to lose Sivaganga. Former Railway Minister Pawan Bansal and Transport Minister C P Joshi too lost.
While ally partners like Ajit Singh of RlD who is a Union Minister lost stronghold Baghpat, another Union Minister Praful Patel belonging to NCP is also likely to loose. The Congress has recorded the lowest vote share ever in the country and in most of the constituencies it is coming third like in Delhi’s all the seven lok Sabha seats.
Admitting its defeat and complete rout, Congress said it was "very disappointed" with the poll outcome but hit out at Modi for pursuing "politics of polarisation". Union Minister Rajiv Shukla said that the trends are "very disppointing" for the party. Asked whether Rahul Gandhi should take responsibility for the defeat, Shukla said, "it's collective responsibility". Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala stressed the need for introspection. Party President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi is likely to address the media shortly.