Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah have sought answers from the party's Gujarat leaders after the Bharatiya Janata Party was routed in rural areas of the state in the civic elections.
The Congress party swept up 21 of the 31 district panchayats and won 2,509 of the 4,778 seats in the taluka panchayats.
While the BJP managed to retain all six municipal corporations, its poor show in the rural areas, including several of its bastions and also in Modi's home district, has come as a shock for the party.
Modi and Shah have now sought a detailed report over the elections, The Times of India reported.
Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel also sent out angry letters to her ministers seeking reports on the party's performance in the next meeting.
Many BJP members have put the blame on the recent Patidar protests and claimed that the Patel community did not vote for the party.
"Patidars and castes close to them voted against the BJP," Gujarat government spokesperson Nitin Patel told TOI.
The civic polls were seen as a test for Anandiben Patel, but her government was rattled after the Hardik Patel-led Patidar protests turned violent in recent months.
Following the election result, the Gujarat government on Thursday announced that it will allot 6,000 acres of land, worth Rs. 5,667 crore, to co-operative societies and agricultural produce committees at token rates.
