“Need To Put House In Order”: Sonia Gandhi To Congress On Poll Results

New Delhi:

Interim Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Monday demanded that the celebration “be aware of our critical setbacks (and) put our home so as”, after but extra disappointing performances in elections.

She mentioned senior leaders from Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Bengal – the states that went to the polls in April-Could – could be required to “temporary us, very frankly, on our efficiency…”

“We wish them to inform us why we carried out nicely under expectation. These outcomes inform us clearly that we have to put our home so as,” Mrs Gandhi mentioned, as she delivered the opening remarks at a gathering of the CWC (Congress Working Committee) – the celebration’s highest decision-making physique.

“We have now to be aware of our critical setbacks. To say we’re deeply disenchanted is to make an understatement. I intend to arrange a small group to take a look at each facet that brought about such reverses and report again in a short time,” she added.

The Congress can be set to debate elections to decide on a brand new President – a delicate topic given the divide between senior leaders over the management of the celebration and its persevering with poor performances.

The election schedule is to be learn out on the finish of as we speak’s assembly, Mrs Gandhi mentioned.

Over the previous yr senior leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Shashi Tharoor and Kapil Sibal have referred to as for “full-time” and “effective leadership” that shall be “seen” and “lively” within the discipline. 

In August 23 of them wrote to Mrs Gandhi to specific concern over the decline of the celebration, and mentioned that its revival was important for the nation and democracy. They referred to as for sweeping reforms, together with decentralisation of energy, empowerment of state items and organizational elections at each stage.

The letter triggered a row that break up the Congress down the center and prompted an explosive seven-hour assembly of the CWC, throughout which Mrs Gandhi provided to resign earlier than being persuaded by loyalists to stay in momentary cost.

In January, the celebration, after controversial (and public) spats between dissenting leaders and loyalists, mentioned a new Congress chief would be elected in June, after the 2021 state elections had been accomplished.

The Gandhis’ management of the Congress was referred to as into query by some senior leaders (File)

Mrs Gandhi’s sturdy phrases about election outcomes come days after she described their efficiency in final month’s Meeting polls as “very disappointing” and added that it was “unexpectedly so”.

The Congress struggled to enchantment to voters on this spherical of elections.

In Bengal, the place the celebration joined fingers with the Left, it was shut out and the alliance was decimated. In contrast the Trinamool swept to victory with 213 seats to the BJP’s 77.

In Assam – extensively seen as a stronghold till it was breached in 2016 – the celebration did marginally higher, winning 29 of 95 seats it contested. Nevertheless it did not problem the BJP, which returned to energy.

In Kerala, the Congress at the very least held its floor, losing just one seat from 2016 to finish with 41. The Left entrance, nevertheless, registered a commanding win by claiming 99 seats. The BJP gained zero seats.

In Tamil Nadu, the celebration was a part of the profitable DMK-led alliance and carried out comparatively higher, winning 18 of 25 allocated seats. It, nevertheless, failed to return to power in Puducherry – the place its authorities crashed days earlier than polling – after the NR Congress-BJP pairing gained 16 of 30 seats.

These outcomes come after a poor efficiency in Bihar, the place elections had been held in October-November. The celebration allied with the Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD, however won just 19 of 70 seats it contested and the alliance completed simply 15 seats wanting overthrowing the BJP-JDU authorities.