As Congress bites the dust in five state elections, the knives are out for party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, with top leaders eager to bring to account the events that unfolded at the approaching the polls.
The Congress, which championed 110 assembly segments across Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand; Goa, Manipur and Punjab managed to retain less than half winning just 54 voters today.
Also, after losing Punjab to new entrant AAP and failing to win any of the other four states despite anti-incumbency against the ruling BJP, the big old party is at its worst performance after being left in the power in only two states. – Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and in alliance in Jharkhand and Maharashtra.
Pushing it towards an existential crisis is today’s call for pan-India revolution by AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, who first formed a government in Delhi with Congress backing in 2013, then formed a full-majority government in Delhi, winning 67 of 70 seats and has now unseated the ruling Congress in Punjab. Kejriwal’s ‘revolution’ speech signals his intention to enter states like Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, and replace Congress as a challenger to the BJP – which will further shrink the space of the Congress in the landscape of the opposition.
Former Congress leader and former justice minister Ashwani Kumar, who recently quit the party saying he had lost touch with the ground, said today: “The Punjab results signal the end of the party for Congress as the natural party of governance.
An alternative narrative is emerging with the AAP and TMC as key drivers even as a ragtag that Congress claims is relevant. It’s no wonder today’s results caused instant angst among several leaders, with the G-23 expected to convene a meeting soon to ‘demand accountability’.
“The time for regrets is over, we need answers,” said a congressional veteran, noting that those who made decisions must also take responsibility.
Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi called for a rewiring and overhaul of Congress after scoring a duck, while party spokesman Randeep Surjewala vowed soul-searching, noting that the results of the Punjab, Uttarakhand and Goa were well below lagged expectations. Rahul Gandhi repeated an old phrase in which he said: “Humbly accept the judgment of the people. Best wishes to those who won the mandate.
Thank you to all convention staff and volunteers for their hard work and dedication. We will learn from this and continue to defend the interests of the Indian people.
Congress leaders, meanwhile, have said Congress’ poor performance under Gandhi will cast a shadow over upcoming internal polls and the party’s presidential election in September this year.
Leaders pointed to the continued decline of the Congress, including in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala and Pondicherry, recalling how the party allied itself with radical Muslims in Bengal and Kerala and violated their secular fabric. “We also want to know why we needed the confirmation of UP cleric Tauqeer Raza before the state elections.
He is openly attacking a community,” a congressional leader asked, noting that such decisions had irreparably eroded the party’s base. One section also said recent polls had only seen Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi campaigning and lacked teamwork.