Congress Working Committee calls poll debacle 'cause of serious concern', reaffirms faith in Sonia Gandhi's leadership

New Delhi [India]: Congress Working Committee on Sunday termed the party's abysmal performance in the recently held Assembly polls in five states a "cause of serious concern" and unanimously reaffirmed that the party will contest the forthcoming elections including the 2024 Lok Sabha elections under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and requested her to lead from the front.

The highest decision-making body of Congress met this evening and the meeting lasted for around five hours.
"Congress interim president Sonia will lead us and will take future steps. We all have faith in her leadership," Mallikarjun Kharge said after the party's working committee meeting.

After the conclusion of the CWC meeting, Indian National Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal also informed that Sonia Gandhi will continue being the President of the party.

Addressing the media here, Venugopal said, "The party accepts that due to shortcomings in our strategy, we could not effectively expose the misrule of BJP State Governments in four States and overcome the anti-incumbency in the state of Punjab in a short time after effecting a change of leadership."

"The CWC unanimously reaffirms its faith in the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and requests the Congress President to lead from the front, address the organisational weaknesses, effect necessary and comprehensive organizational changes in order to take on the political challenges," he added.

Venugopal further added that the Congress party represents the "hopes of millions of Indians against political authoritarianism prevailing in the country today and the party is fully conscious of its immense responsibility."

Accepting the electoral verdict of the latest round of Assembly elections, the Congress party assured its workers and the people of India that it will continue to remain a vigilant and vibrant opposition.

"The Congress Party will be fully prepared to face the electoral challenges in the election going states in 2022 and 2023 as well as in the Lok Sabha elections 2024," he said.

The results of five assembly polls came as a shock to the Congress which was hoping to do well to revive its prospects for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and to fend off the emerging challenge from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Trinamool Congress to replace it as the fulcrum of anti-BJP politics in the country.

Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao said that a detailed discussion was held over the party's defeat in the state polls and the party leaders discussed how to take things forward.

"Sonia Gandhi continues to be the president of the party. A detailed discussion was held about the five state elections. We discussed how to take things forward and how we prepare for the forthcoming elections," Rao, who is Congress Goa in-charge said after the crucial meeting.(ANI)