It was a victory of "fear and terror" for the Bharatiya Janata Party and a defeat for progress and development in Gujarat, the Congress said on Sunday.

During the election campaign, the BJP campaigned for generating fear to divide people on communal lines, which led to the defeat of the Congress, AICC general secretary in-charge of Gujarat, Kamal Nath, said reacting to the results.

However, Nath said the Congress' message of peace and development was well received by the people of Gujarat, which was demonstrated by the high percentage of votes gained by the party.

Asked if there were shortcomings in the party's strategy in the state, he said, "The BJP played the communal card and that is why it got more seats where communal riots took place, but failed to gain considerably in regions like Saurashtra, which were unaffected during the riots."

Another party leader, Anil Shastri, accused the BJP of using Godhra, Aksharadham and the issue of terrorism to divide people, which led to polarisation and defeat of the Congress.

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