New Delhi - India's ruling Congress Party Monday won three of the five state elections that were seen as a political barometer for the country's upcoming general elections against the backdrop of terrorist attacks and the economic slowdown.

Results from the Election Commission showed the Congress Party retained power in the national capital New Delhi for a third five-year term while it recorded a landslide victory in the north-eastern state of Mizoram.

The party also ousted the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the north-western state of Rajasthan and looked set to form the next government with support from independent legislators.

Meanwhile, the Congress's key rival, the BJP retained the central states of Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, which it has ruled since 2003.

Central issues in the provincial polls were rising prices and the country's internal security situation following a wave of terrorist attacks including the Mumbai siege that has been blamed on Muslim militants.

More than 310 people died in the bombings and attacks across major Indian cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Jaipur since May.

Many had expected the Congress to fare poorly at the hustings owing to the public outrage, particularly after the Mumbai attacks in which more than 170 people were killed.

The BJP had made the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance's soft stance on dealing with terrorism a key poll-plank in the staggered elections that began November
14.

But the Congress had come to power in New Delhi, Rajasthan and Mizoram where polling took place in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks between November 26 and 28.

The Congress managers were exultant with the results saying the results showed that BJP's bid to make electoral gains by using the "terror card" had failed.

"This is the beginning of the decline of the BJP... There is no stopping the Congress party now, " Congress spokesman M Veerappa Moily told reporters.

In Delhi, Congress won 42 seats in the 69-member house while in Mizoram the Congress ended the Mizo National Front's 10 year reign by sweeping 32 of the 40 seats.

In Rajasthan's 200 member legislature, the Congress emerged as the single largest party bagging 96 seats and would form the government taking help from 14 independent legislators.

The results are seen as crucial as they came ahead of India's general elections which the Election Commission said would be held between April and May.

Voting in Indian-administered Kashmir is still ongoing and the results for the state will be released later in December. (dpa)