The upcoming national elections will be a contest between the janta (people) and the gathbandhan (anti-BJP alliance), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday. Presenting a confident front despite the setback in the assembly elections in the three Hindi heartland states, PM Modi, dismissing detractors, said these were a "set of persons" who echoed a similar narrative even in 2014.

"First of all, no one expected the BJP to form government in Telangana and Mizoram... In Chhattisgarh, the results were decisive but in other two states, the result was a hung assembly," said PM Modi in an interview to news agency ANI.

The Prime Minister said the BJP is looking into the reasons. As far as national elections are concerned, he said he had faith in the country's voters.

“It (2019 general election) is going to be 'janta' versus 'gathbandhan'. Modi is just a manifestation of public love and blessings... We should never underestimate the political understanding of the common man," he said.

Asked if the opposition alliance that's making all the noise can be presented as an alternative, the Prime Minister said, "They still speak in different voices. Who are these people? They are looking for each other's support to save themselves... They hold each other's hand, so that they are saved. That is the game".

When pointed out that the 2019 elections were heading towards a US Presidential style of elections between him and Rahul Gandhi, he said: "I believe this election is going to be a contest between those who fulfil and take forward the aspirations of the people and those who stop these aspirations. There is experience of 70 years. The public is the decider".