Notwithstanding the defeat in five states, BJP national president Amit Shah has asked the party cadre to get ready for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In a meeting of all state units and central office-bearers in New Delhi on Thursday, Shah reviewed the reasons for the defeat but told party workers not to be demoralised.

He also rejected the resignation of Madhya Pradesh unit president Rakesh Singh, who quit after the party's defeat in the state. Instead, he told Singh to "prepare for the Lok Sabha elections with more enthusiasm and win for the party".

BJP's defeat in five states, including three in the Hindi heartland namely Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, has sounded alarms bells in the party leadership. It has to come up with a new organisational strategy to win the Lok Sabha election.

Shah, who was supposed to attend Geeta Mahotsav in Kurukshetra in Haryana on Thursday, cancelled his trip for the meeting. Senior BJP leaders such Rajasthan's former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, Madhya Pradesh's ex-CM Shivraj Singh and Chattisgarh's former chief minister, Raman Singh were also present.

According to sources, leaders from all five states gave a detailed district-wise report about the defeat in recent Assembly elections to the party president. The agenda for the party's national conclave, to be held on January 11-12, was also discussed.

Apart from the national council meeting, several meetings of party's various wings are lined up in the run-up to the general elections. These meetings will discuss party's efforts to reach out to different sections of society ahead of the polls and will be presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah and senior union ministers such as Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari.

Meanwhile, BJP general secretary Bhupendra Yadav said the party will undertake the proposed rath yatra in West Bengal, once the matter is cleared by the court.