Rahul Gandhi says onus of UP debacle is on everyone

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AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Friday warned against indiscipline and told Congress leaders from UP that he would continue to work for the party’s revival in the state and that he is not one to accept defeat.

Gandhi reviewed the causes for the Congress’ crushing defeat in the UP Assembly election at a specially-called two-day meeting from Thursday.

Though there was no structured briefing of the deliberations held in the meeting and Mr Gandhi’s remarks, Congress leaders who attended the sessions shared the deliberations with some reporters. The young Gandhi, they said, gave a patient hearing during the meeting.

“Each and every issue was discussed,” one of the leaders said. Another leader said Mr Gandhi told the meeting that no single leader should be held responsible for the debacle, suggesting that “it is a collective responsibility”.

Responding to questions, he said Mr Gandhi did not attach much importance to the controversial statements made by Union ministers Salman Khurshid, Beni Prasad Verma and Sriprakash Jaiswal and Mr Digvijay Singh, the AICC general secretary in charge of UP. Others, though, said Mr Gandhi conceded that such statements had damaged the party’s prospects.

'I am not going to accept defeat'

Age Correspondent
New Delhi, April 6

The meeting to review the Congress’ debacle in the UP Assembly elections was held at the party’s “war room” at 15 GRG Road in New Delhi in various sessions. The meeting was attended by party candidates who polled over 20,000 votes, legislators, former MPs, sitting MPs and Union ministers. A former minister said that Mr Gandhi will call another meeting on UP.

After the meeting, Mr Jaiswal told reporters that he gave a report to Mr Gandhi on the election results but will not disclose the contents while Mr Beni Prasad Verma remained tightlipped. “Everyone was blamed,” former Union minister Salim Shervani said after the meeting, insisting at the same time that no names were taken.

Former MP Rajesh Mishra said Mr Gandhi gave hints of an overhaul of the state party organisation, making it clear that his involvement with UP will continue.“I am not the one to accept defeat and I will strive to bring glory to the party in UP,” Mr Gandhi was quoted by Mr Mishra as having said.

Mr Gandhi, according to Mr Mishra, also sent a strong message that he would not tolerate indiscipline in the party.

It was felt at the meeting that “confusion” over minority quota cost the party dear. But Mr Gandhi felt the quota issue was projected in a different way by the party’s detractors, which sent a wrong message to a section of the electorate.

The party’s poor showing in Amethi and Rae Bareli, the pocketboroughs of the Nehru-Gandhi family, also figured at the meeting.

Mr Gandhi said the party’s seats, as also the percentage of votes, has increased and now it should be the Congress’ endeavour to become the alternative to the SP and the BSP in the state.

He did not agree with the contention of some leaders that “outsiders” were given more weightage by the party during ticket distribution.

The exercise also saw some leaders, like P.L. Punia, blaming their detractors, like Beni Prasad Verma, without naming them.