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Updated: Dec 11, 2018 23:07 IST

Celebrating the Congress’ best performance in assembly elections in a while, its chief Rahul Gandhi today said the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, when his party was reduced to its lowest tally in Parliament ever, was the “best thing” that happened to him, taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from whom he said he had learnt a vital lesson.

“The absolute best thing for me was the 2014 elections...I learnt a lot from that election... I learnt that the most important thing in this country is what the people feel, and as a politician, you have to work with that sentiment,” Gandhi said, adding, “Mr Narendra Modi taught me that lesson. I see (from his actions) what not to do. He was given a massive opportunity to lead the country. He refused to listen to the heartbeat of this country... That is something I have learnt from how he has acted. For me, the best teachers are the people of this country.”

(Read more: How the Congress’ performance in this election alters calculus for 2019)

The Congress has today wrested Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan from the BJP and is running neck and neck with the rival party in Madhya Pradesh. The party has made big gains — it had come in a poor second in all the three states in 2013, followed by another drubbing in 2014 general election when Narendra Modi led the BJP to a spectacular win.

Addressing a press conference in the evening, Rahul Gandhi said Tuesday’s results heralded a “time for change,” asserting that the Congress will also win next year’s general election. “The BJP has a certain ideology and we will fight against it. We have won this elections, we will also win in 2019,” he said.

In another jab at the BJP, he also added, “However, we do not want to get rid of anyone, hum kisi ko Bharat se mukt nahi karna chahtein. (We dont want to rid the country of anyone).” It was a reference to the frequent promise made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah for a “Congress mukt Bharat (Congress-free India).”

Rahul Gandhi said it was a victory today of Congress workers and of “youth and farmers and small businessmen.”