Congress rejects suggestions blaming Rahul Gandhi for poll debacles
Congress spokesperson says the party does not see state elections in terms of any individual
New Delhi: Seeking to throw a protective ring around Rahul Gandhi, Congress on Thursday rejected suggestions that the party vice president should accept blame for its debacle in four states.
“Every election has its own issues. We do not see state elections in terms of any individual—Tarun Gogoi or Oommen Chandy. We will analyse causes where we need to do better... We will discuss this in a cordial atmosphere," the party’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told reporters along with general secretary Mukul Wasnik and spokesman R. P. N Singh.
Surjewala said he “rejects this improper suggestion totally", when asked whether Rahul should accept responsibility like he and Congress president Sonia Gandhi did after the Lok Sabha polls in which the party had its worst performance—just 44 seats in the House of 543.
He said it should be noted that the Congress had been in power in Assam for 15 years and for the last five years in Kerala and had provided capable leadership. He dismissed an “irrelevant" a query that whether Priyanka Gandhi would be playing a greater role in the organisation following the reverses.
Meanwhile Rahul Gandhi said the party will work harder till it wins the confidence and trust of people. “We accept the verdict of people with humility. My best wishes to the parties that have won the elections. I take this opportunity to thank every Congress worker and leader and our allies for their effort during these elections. We will work harder till we win the confidence & trust of people," Gandhi said on Twitter.
The reaction came soon after election trends in five states suggested that the Congress had lost in Kerala and Assam ruled by it and failed to make a dent in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu despite alliances.
Wasnik admitted that the party had “expected a better performance". Replying to questions, Wasnik, who was also in-charge of party affairs in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, said it was not possible to immediately identify the causes for the losses in these states. Surjewala criticised BJP’s campaign of ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’, saying that Congress is linked to the soul of India and no organisation or individual would be able to wipe it out.
“Congress is not only a political party but an ideology, a thought, a way of life—which permeates the soul of the nation. Neither BJP, nor any individual can destroy it," he said.
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