May 16 (Bloomberg) -- Jubilant Congress supporters outside party president Sonia Gandhi’s house burst firecrackers, banged drums and danced on top of a jeep as India’s ruling party swept toward its best election performance in two decades.

“I was sure that Congress would win, and I have full faith in Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi,” said B.K. Devraj Kumar, who traveled 1,700 kilometers (1,056 miles) from the eastern state of Orissa to join the celebrations.

Party workers set up a five-foot high flower-bedecked map of India to signify the sweep of the victory. About 1 kilometer north, at the headquarters of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, policemen rested in the shade in 41 degree Celsius (106 degree Fahrenheit) heat as crowds thinned, following the Hindu- nationalist party’s looming defeat. Journalists pressed the few leaders who were present for a concession statement.

The Congress party-led alliance is leading or has won 259 seats, close to the 272-seat majority mark. The win will help Congress retain power in the world’s biggest democracy for the first time since 1991. The opposition BJP, which has won or is leading in 160 seats, has accepted defeat.

“The Congress government has controlled the rising prices of essential commodities and fought terrorism,” said Akhtar Hussain, a Congress supporter from the state of Uttar Pradesh. “The government shouldn’t give more emphasis on businessmen but rather they should concentrate on the poor.”

‘Jai Ho’

Exultant party workers, in the typical Congress attire of white homespun, traditional Indian dress, chanted “Jai Ho,” a victory slogan from the Oscar-winning movie “Slumdog Millionaire,” outside the party chief’s house in New Delhi.

The map of roses and other flowers was adorned with photographs of Sonia and her children Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi.

“In the coming government, I expect they should focus more on employment generation and come up with policies for the poor and farmers,” supporter Devraj Kumar said.

While exit polls had given the Congress party-led United Progressive Alliance an edge over the BJP-led National Democratic, they said the grouping wouldn’t be able to get enough seats for a clear majority.

At the headquarters of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), policemen were the only company for reporters waiting to speak to party leaders. The nation’s main Communist parties were leading in just 22 constituencies, a 61 percent reduction from the last elections.

Adjoining the communist party’s office, Congress workers and a hired folk band danced and waved the party flag in front of a vote-counting center, blocking traffic.

A somber mood prevailed at the home of the BJP’s 81-year- old leader Lal Krishna Advani as a dozen reporters and policemen sought to cool themselves off with iced water.

“It was difficult to control the crowds yesterday,” said Delhi Police Constable Sunil, who declined to give his last name. “Today it’s all quiet.”

To contact the reporters on this story: Bibhudatta Pradhan in New Delhi at bpradhan@bloomberg.net; Kartik Goyal in New Delhi at kgoyal@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: May 16, 2009 06:18 EDT