The trends and results of the Lok Sabha election "are totally against our expectations" and the situation "is very difficult" for the Bharatiya Janata Party, the outfit's general secretary, Pramod Mahajan, said on Thursday.

He said the National Democratic Alliance would stake claim to form government only if Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was assured of getting 272 seats in Parliament.

"Until the last picture is clear by the evening no one can say anything," Mahajan, the man who planned and executed the BJP's campaign strategy, said.

"Sometimes you play well, but your opponent plays better. Sometime you don't play so well and lose out," he said.

He said it was difficult to pinpoint the shortcomings in the NDA strategy.