The ruling BJP and a hopeful Congress are anxiously waiting for December 18, when the votes will be counted in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Stakes are high in Gujarat simply because it has been a result-oriented laboratory of BJP brand of politics for over two decades.

Soon-to-be Congress president Rahul Gandhi left stone unturned in Gujarat to challenge the BJP's organisational might in the state. The Congress has rarely shown such energy and enthusiasm on ground and social media in recent times as was on display during the Gujarat Assembly election.

When the election campaign for Gujarat began, Patidar leader Hardik Patel looked as the main challenger to the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But, by the time the Gujarat election ended yesterday, Rahul Gandhi nearly established himself as the principal challenger to PM Modi.

WHAT IF CONGRESS WINS GUJARAT

If the Congress succeeds in defeating the BJP in Gujarat, it will definitely be hailed as first real triumph of Rahul Gandhi, who is likely to take over as the party president tomorrow. Rahul Gandhi led the Gujarat campaign from the front.

During the Gujarat election campaign, Rahul Gandhi reached out to wider segments of society. He interacted with farmers, traders, tribals and raised issues that concerned them. His series of questions posed to PM Modi through social media were talked about and set the tone for electioneering.

A Congress win in Gujarat will establish Rahul Gandhi as a mature leader, who has come of age at the time. His position in the Congress will also be strengthened.

WHAT IF CONGRESS LOSES GUJARAT ELECTION

All the exit poll results show that the BJP will return to power in Gujarat for the sixth consecutive time. But, there is a silver lining for the Congress.

As per the exit poll predictions, the Congress has polled more votes compared to 2012 Gujarat election and also reduced the gap with the BJP. In 2012, with about 39 per cent vote share, the Congress got 9 per cent less votes than the BJP.

The India Today-Axis My India exit poll results suggest that the Congress has got 42 per cent vote share in the two-phased Gujarat election. This marks a three per cent rise from 2012 while the BJP has roughly maintained its vote share. The BJP is likely to get 47 per cent vote and the Congress is likely be only 5 per cent behind.

In regions like Saurashtra and north Gujarat, the Congress is likely to be ahead of the BJP both in terms of vote share and the number of seats that the exit polls predict it to win.

Rahul Gandhi is the lead factor for this turnaround for the Congress even if it loses the Gujarat election on Monday.

RAHUL ALMOST SCARED BJP IN GUJARAT

Rahul Gandhi's election campaign was so vociferous in Gujarat that the BJP showed signs of nervousness in the state election. Gujarat Assembly election was perhaps the first occasion when the Congress's social media campaigns were more talked about than that of the BJP.

It was more because of Rahul Gandhi's relentless campaigning in Gujarat that PM Narendra Modi was forced to address as many as 34 election rallies in his home state. PM Modi did all the poll optics - from inauguration of hospitals and ferry service to river landing in Sabarmati before winding up his Gujarat election campaign.

Modi had been the chief minister of Gujarat for 12 years before becoming the prime minister. He is called the architect of Gujarat model of development by the BJP. Still, PM Modi had to reach out to his own people to save the BJP from the scare of defeat.

RAHUL PLAYS BJP'S HINDUTVA GAME

Rahul Gandhi faced criticism from the BJP over his frequent visits to temples during Gujarat election campaign. But, Rahul Gandhi kept visiting temples in Gujarat. He made at least 27 temple visits during Gujarat election.

His temple visits served as a message that the Congress will not shy away from playing the BJP's game of Hindutva politics - even at the risk of being labeled as "soft Hindutva" politician. Rahul Gandhi did not specifically mentioned about Muslims during his election campaigns dispelling the notion that Congress works for "appeasement of Muslims."

By the end of Gujarat election, Rahul Gandhi got his message across that he is a "devotee of Lord Shiva" and unlike his predecessors in the Congress leadership from his family, he is not the one to be hesitant in displaying it in public. With this, Rahul Gandhi has ended the BJP's exclusive claim on Hindutva.

RAHUL ON ISSUES, AWAY FROM PERSONAL ATTACKS

While the Gujarat Assembly election campaign had been acrimonious with PM Modi launching direct tirade against the Congress and also the Nehru-Gandhi family and the Congress leaders replying almost in the same coin, Rahul Gandhi personally stayed away from such insinuations.

Reports suggest that once PM Modi responded to the "Vikas Gando Thayo Chhe" (Vikas has gone crazy) saying "Hu Vikas Chhu" (I am Vikas), Rahul Gandhi gave a clear instruction to partymen to dissociate from "anti-Vikas" campaign.

Rahul Gandhi made it clear that he would not make personal attack on any leader including PM Modi. Later when Mani Shankar Aiyar made an objectionable comment on PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi did not waste time in cracking the whip. It was also seen as a message to his partymen that the Congress leadership has changed and they needed to do politics with new set of rules.

RAHUL AS ACCOMMODATIVE LEADER

Gujarat Assembly election also presented Rahul Gandhi an opportunity to show that he could be an accommodative leader. In the context of Gujarat politics, OBC leader Alpesh Thakor and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani were essentially pitted against Patidar leader Hardik Patel.

Hardik Patel has been campaigning for a quota for Patidars in Gujarat either under the OBC category or by creating a separate quota. The OBCs are against making such a provision for Patidars as they fear this will affect their chances of employment and education.

Dalits and Patidars have also been seen in conflict at times in Gujarat. But in the run up to the Gujarat election, Rahul Gandhi managed to bring them all together and his own camp. Alpesh joined the Congress and contested on its symbol. Congress did not field candidate against Jignesh while Hardik Patel campaigned for the Congress.

The maturity that Rahul Gandhi showed during the Gujarat polls may go a long way in making him the natural successor of Sonia Gandhi not only in the Congress but also in the Opposition camp. As principal challenger to PM Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi may emerge as the glue for Opposition's unity ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019.