While the national opposition BJP saw the results as the beginning of the end of the Congress at the Centre, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh dismissed suggestions that the results were a referendum on his government, saying it would have no impact on the UPA coalition.

Exploiting a severe an anti-incumbency wave topped by the price spiral, the Akali Dal-BJP alliance won a clear majority in the 117-member assembly, securing 60 of the 107 seats declared so far. Akali Dal alone won 42 seats with lead in five others while its ally BJP bagged 18, 13 more than last time and led in one other constituency.

Five seats went to independents while parties like CPI, CPI(M), splinter Akali groups and the BSP drew a blank.

Eighty-year-old warhorse and SAD chief Prakash Singh Badal, who won from Lambi, is also set to become the Chief Minister for a fourth term while incumbent Chief Minister Amarinder Singh submitted his resignation after his party's defeat. Amarinder won from Patiala town.

In the hill state of Uttarakhand, BJP fell short of majority in the 70-member assembly by just one seat but with support from Uttarakhand Kranti Dal, which bagged three seats, and some of the three independents, it is in a position to form the government.

Similarly in the northeastern state of Manipur, the ruling Congress fell short of majority by two seats in the 60-member assembly but a number of its past and potential allies have won seats that can enable it to retain power.