The regional parties have hoped for a hung assembly and wanted to play king makers. Some even wanted to be kings themselves. Everyone from Rahul to Mayawati wanted to become Prime Ministers. Prior to the counting of votes, several regional party leaders have gone from place to place meeting other regional parties to talk about third front, fourth front and even Federal Front.

Finally, when the votes were counted, all their calculations went awry. The BJP won by a thumping majority, while all the regional parties that dreamt of becoming kings and king makers ended up as big losers. Some like KCR and Mamta Banerjee held on to their forts,  but their image was badly dented. The BJP made big gains in the states that they ruled.

Only one regional party did not join this mad race. It focused on winning the MP seats in the state and did not even bother to meet the leaders from other states. That party had won the maximum number of MP seats and is now the third largest party. That party is DMK. All those who had big dreams, had lost their ground and the only party that focused on winning the home turn endedup as the biggest gainer.