Indian National Congress party chief Rahul Gandhi has conceded defeat in India's elections.
"During my campaign, I had stressed that it's about the people's verdict, and today the people have chosen their leader," he said during a brief press meeting at the Congress party headquarters.
Rahul refused to delve into what is wrong, saying, "India has decided and we have to respect that."
He congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party on the victory.
The BJP has won in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and secured leads in West Bengal, Odisha, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Only Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh appeared untouched.

New Lebanon-Israel talks begin in shadow of US-Iran deal
EU hosts Taliban officials in Brussels for first time
US waives Iran sanctions, Trump warns Tehran it must abide by agreement
Forty drown in France as people seek relief from heatwave
Israeli gunfire kills two people in south Lebanon, civil defence says
