This is one shocker of an elimination! Monali Thakur, who impressed the judges with her powerful rendition of popular numbers, left the stage amidst an atmoshere of gloom as she was voted out of the Indian Idol race.

Monali breaks down as the results are announced!

Ironically her last song at the galas was Kabie Alvida Na Kehna!

"I don't think I sang that bad. I strongly believe I had the potential to move ahead," says Monali Thakur in a state of shock.

Monali is the first contestant from Bengal to lose her grip on the competition, despite a steady performance throughout. With her father Shakti Thakur, a professional singer and actor in Bengali film industry, her sister Mehuli Thakur-Goswami, a playback singer in Bengal and classical training from Pandit Jagdish Prasad in Kolkata, Monali had all the ingredients necessary to crack the ultimate Idol test. She always chose appropriate songs in the galas, and even experimented with singing a male-voice song, performing really well in all the rounds. She was last seen on stage singing Piya Tohse Naina Lage Re for which she received accolades from all the judges. Guest judges Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra too referred to her performance as "fantastic" and complimented her presence in front of the camera.

Anu Malik comforts Monali

So where did she lose out? The question that haunts her supporters, family and the judges too can only be answered by those who did not vote her into the competition again.

"I am really shocked with the results. I don't know what is in the mind of Indian viewers. They have brought Meenal, Karunya and Monali in bottom three. It's is unbelievable. I don't have words to express my disappointment," said Anu Malik after the announcement of the results.

But, this is not the end of the road for Monali, who received a playback offer from Anu Malik as she left the show!!!