"It is the people's decision and we fully respect it," Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said. (File)
Highlights
- Priyanka Gandhi congratulated PM Modi, BJP workers for big victory
- Her brother, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said he respects voters' choice
- Congress was unable to get to three figures, Rahul Gandhi lost Amethi
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday said the Congress "fully respects" the decision of the people and congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP for their victory in the Lok Sabha polls.
"It is the people's decision and we fully respect it. We congratulate the BJP workers, leaders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Priyanka Gandhi told reporters at the Congress headquarters.
"...bahut bahut badhai," she said for PM Modi.
The BJP is set to win more than 300 seats of the 542 Lok Sabha constituencies where voting took place in seven phases, demolishing the combined opposition with the Congress party unable to get to three figures.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's debut as the Congress general secretary was meant to be a lifeline for the party in Uttar Pradesh.
The 47-year-old travelled extensively in Uttar Pradesh and aggressively targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies, accusing him of total neglect of his constituency Varanasi.
But it was her brother Rahul Gandhi who ended up losing his traditional constituency Amethi in Uttar Pradesh to his BJP rival Smriti Irani, who claimed to have spent more time there in the last five years than him.
Rahul Gandhi told reporters in a brief press conference: "The people of India have decided that Narendra Modi will be their prime minister again, and as an Indian, I accept that."
He also said, to questions on whether he would resign: "I don't need to comment on that. That I will take up with the Congress working committee when we meet next..."