My heart-felt gratitude to the people of Kaithal, Randeep Surjewala said after defeat (File)
Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Thursday lost in the Haryana assembly election from stronghold Kaithal. BJP candidate Leela Ram defeated the three-time MLA by a margin of 1,246 votes in one of the biggest upsets in the state polls.
Mr Surjewala, who is the Congress's national spokesperson, was ahead by a slim margin in the morning. However, he started trailing during the last few rounds of counting.
Mr Surjewala has tweeted to accept his defeat.
"My heart-felt gratitude to the people of Kaithal. I hope fear-free Kaithal will move forward on the path of prosperity," he wrote in Hindi.
Mr Surjewala had won in the 2014 Haryana assembly election by a massive margin of 23, 675 votes.
The Congress has pulled off a stellar performance in Haryana, months after a dismal national election results. The party is leading on 31 seats, but is well short of the majority mark. The ruling BJP is leading on 40 seats and will need the support of Dushyant Chautala's JJP, which is leading on 10 seats.
Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who is being credited for the Congress's good show in Haryana, has asked Mr Chautala to enter a post-poll alliance and formed a government in the state.
Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar will meet the Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya this evening to stake claim to form government in the state, sources said.
The BJP is also set to form government in Maharashtra along with ally Shiv Sena. The alliance is leading on over 150 seats and most likely will retain power in the state.