NEW DELHI - Mr Rahul Gandhi, the president of India's opposition Congress party, on Thursday (May 23) conceded defeat in the country's general elections, taking full responsibility for the loss and congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his victory.
Mr Gandhi also said he had lost his own Parliament seat in a family borough in Amethi, in Uttar Pradesh state - which his family has held almost continuously for the last four decades - in the biggest upset of the election, reported Reuters.
"The election finished today and results came today. I don't want to say more. I want to congratulate Mr Modi," Mr Gandhi told reporters in New Delhi, reported the BBC.
" My fight with Mr Modi is about ideology. I want to tell Congress workers - the ones who lost and the ones who won - that don't lose hope. We will continue to work hard and we will eventually win. There is no need to be scared," he said.
Mr Gandhi said now was was not the time to discuss what had gone wrong for his party and its allies, saying he did not want to "colour the mandate" with a lengthy discussion on the outcome.
He also said that he did not regret his philosophy of "love" over "division".
"I had taken a vow that I will never reply any insults thrown at me, and I will continue to do that. That's just my philosophy. Love never loses. Today is not the day for me to go into the details of the mandate. Today a new PM has been elected and let's wish him luck."
Television channel CNN News18 said Mr Gandhi had won from the Wayanad constituency in southern India, the second place he chose to run from in the election, reported Reuters.
