New Delhi, March 10
With the Congress biting dust in five state elections, knives are out for party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra with top leaders itching for accountability of the events that unfolded in the run up to the polls.
The Congress, which was defending 110 assembly segments across Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand; Goa, Manipur and Punjab has managed to retain less than half winning only 54 constituencies today.
Besides, having lost Punjab to new entrant AAP and failing to win any of the other four states despite anti-incumbency against the ruling BJP, the grand old party is down to its worst performance having been left in power in just two states on its own – Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and in alliance in Jharkhand and Maharashtra.
Pushing it towards an existential crisis is today’s call of pan-India revolution by AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal who first formed a government in Delhi with Congress support in 2013, then formed a full majority government in Delhi winning 67 of 70 seats and has now dislodged the ruling Congress in Punjab.
Kejriwal’s “revolution” pitch signals his plans to enter states like Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, and replacing the Congress as the challenger to BJP – something that will further shrink the Congress’ space in the opposition landscape.
Former Congress leader and ex former law minister Ashwani Kumar who recently quit the party saying it had lost touch with the ground, today said, “The Punjab results signal the endgame for the Congress as the natural party of governance. An alternative narrative is emerging with AAP and the TMC as its principal engines even as a rag tag Congress pretends to be relevant.”
No wonder today’s results were met with instant anguish by several leaders with G-23 set to convene a meeting soon to “demand accountability.”
“Time for regrets is over, we need answers,” said a Congress veteran noting that those who took decisions need to take responsibility too.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi called for rewiring and revamp of the Congress after it scored a duck, while party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala vowed introspection noting that Punjab, Uttarakhand and Goa outcomes were far below expectations.
Rahul Gandhi parroted an old line saying, “Humbly accept the people’s verdict. Best wishes to those who have won the mandate. My gratitude to all Congress workers and volunteers for their hard work and dedication. We will learn from this and keep working for the interests of the people of India.”
Congress leaders, meanwhile, said the poor performance of Congress under Gandhis will cast a shadow on the impending internal polls and the party president’s election in September this year.
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