Now that the election is over, the BJP and the Congress are picking up the pieces. Both parties faced huge problems with rebels and they need to get things in order quickly for the general election.

"I accept the people's verdict. It isn't my personal defeat. It is the party's defeat," said Ajit Jogi, Leader, Congress.

"I came in to handle the affairs only recently, so can't be blamed," said Suresh Pachauri, state Congress President, Madhya Pradesh.

The election count is over and now it's Congress versus the Congress and the BJP versus the BJP. The BJP admits it lost as many as 27 seats in Rajasthan because of the rebels.

So now, it is tackling what it sees as a reason for the rebels. Vasundhara Raje was a strong chief minister, who insisted on her own candidates. Many top leaders and sure-shot winners rebelled.

Now, the BJP has decided that leaders would not be allowed to work like regional satraps - breed infighting alienate the cardres.

"In Rajasthan, there was poor coordination between the government and the party. So we could not calm the rebels," said M Venkaiah Naidu, leader, BJP.

For the assembly elections, the BJP was quick to decide its candidates, quick to start campaigning. And now, it is quick to assess the losses. The Congress was slow and is finding it difficult to shed an old trait.

There were simply too many cooks for the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and no clear leader presented to the voters.

Kamal Nath, Digvijay Singh, Suresh Pachauri and Jyotiraditya Scindia worked like regional chieftains, not presenting a United Front. Like in MP, in Chhattisgarh too, there were too many factions. Ajit Jogi, VC Shukla Motilal Vora, nobody was projected as chief minister.

Monday's one lesson for the BJP and the Congress has been to put their houses in order quickly and in time for the general elections.