Except Punjab, BJP holds good in northern states

The margins of victory of BJP candidates were good - ranging from 1.06 lakh to over 2.68 lakh.

Even in Haryana, the BJP won seven of the eight Lok Sabha seats it contested. Four of its candidates won by comprehensive margins of 2.7 lakh votes and more. The highest margin was 4.66 lakh votes in Faridabad.

Out of the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana, BJP alliance partner Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) contested two seats (Hisar and Sirsa) and lost both.

The only exception, and even embarrassment, for the party was in Punjab where it, and its ally Shiromani Akali Dal, could win only six of the 13 seats.

The Akali Dal candidates' winning margins ranged from over 19,000 to one lakh.

What was stunning for the BJP in Punjab was the big loss of senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley from Amritsar. Jaitley lost to former chief minister and Congress candidate Amarinder Singh by over one lakh votes.