s the election results brought the curtain down on his 13-year tenure, Shivraj Singh Chouhan resigned as the Madhya Pradesh chief minster on Wednesday, saying he takes full responsibility for BJP’s ouster from power in the heartland state.

Leaving from the Raj Bhavan, Chouhan said he was now a “free man” and congratulated senior Congress leader Kamal Nath, though the grand old party was yet to formally announce him as the CM pick.

“I have tendered my resignation to the Governor. The responsibility for the defeat rests me and me alone. I am a free man. I congratulate Kamal Nath and wish him all the best,” Chouhan told reporters.

The Congress will formally stake claim to form the government in MP at noon when Kamal Nath, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Digvijaya Singh meet Governor Anantiben Patel at Raj Bhavan.

The party had on Tuesday night submitted a letter to the Governor seeking an appointment, after results were announced and was almost clear that it will emerge as the single largest party.

In the final results declared on Wednesday morning, the party got 114 seats, two short of simple majority mark of 116 in the 230-member Assembly. It was a comfortable march past the majority mark with BSP chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav lending support of their 2 and one MLAs, respectively. Four Independents who are Congress rebels are also likely to extend support, consolidating the party’s position further.