Assembly election results: BJP sweeps MP, wrests Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday, on the back of “Modi’s guarantees”, swept aside the Congress challenge in the Hindi heartland states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, a result that strengthened Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s prospects of leading his party to a third successive Lok Sabha triumph five months hence.

The Congress consoled itself with a win in Telangana, but the results jolted the party,…