Money power, internal differences led to poll defeat, says Andhra CM

"Though we expected to win six out of nine seats, it did not happen. More than the party, it was money power that influenced the voting. That's why I have been advocating a transparent voting system," Kiran said.

Smarting under Congress' defeat, including in his native Chittoor district, Kiran, however, was not ready to own "moral responsibility" for the party's drubbing saying "it was a collective responsibility."

Without once taking rebel leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy's name, Kiran told reporters in his chambers in the Assembly that much need not be read into the Congress' loss as the margin in some places was just "two or four votes".

He, however, admitted that the principal opposition Telugu Desam Party benefited from the split in Congress votes.

"We need to introspect what went wrong. The high command will take action against leaders who worked against the party's interests," he said.

"Any election will be a lesson for any party. We too will learn a lesson from the Council polls," the chief minister said.

Earlier, he reviewed the poll results with his Cabinet colleagues.In all, elections were held for nine seats in eight districts of the state on March 21 and counting of votes was taken up this morning.

As per unofficial results available, Congress won three (Srikakulam, Kurnool and SPS Nellore), TDP three (Anantapur, West Godavari and East Godavari) while the independent candidates supported by Jagan won in Kadapa, Chittoor and West Godavari.