BJP front-runner in LS polls after K'taka win: Rajnath

New Delhi: Describing his party's victory in Karnataka as a milestone in its social and geographical expansion, BJP chief Rajnath Singh on Sunday said it has placed the party as a front-runner in the next Lok Sabha elections.

"The natural conclusion after the Karnataka victory is that not only has our public mandate increased, the party has registered a social as well as geographical expansion," he told reporters.

With the BJP set to form a government for the first time on its own in a southern State, Singh said the saffron organisation has become the biggest political party in the country.

Karnataka results: BJP set to form govt | Latest party position | Who is the winner, who is the loser | Complete coverage

"The BJP had so far been seen as a North Indian party. Now, we can say that the BJP is an all-India party," Singh said.

Buoyed by the Karnataka results, the BJP president said the results of the Assembly polls were a sign of things to come in the Lok Sabha elections.

"The BJP is now a front-runner in the Lok Sabha elections. We are waiting to congratulate our Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani after the Lok Sabha elections," Singh said.

He noted that the BJP had got a clear majority in seven States and was in coalition governments in five other States.