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Congress calls meet to brainstorm over election losses in three states
The Congress brass on Friday and Saturday will brainstorm over the party’s losses in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, in what is seen as the first structural review of its dismal performance in the recent round of assembly elections
The Congress brass on Friday and Saturday will brainstorm over the party’s losses in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, in what is seen as the first structural review of its dismal performance in the recent round of assembly elections.
The Congress won only one state – Telangana – of the five states that went to the polls. The grand old party lost its governments in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, and failed to dislodge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Madhya Pradesh. It also failed to win the polls in Mizoram.
This round of assembly elections was seen as a virtual semi-final to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, given that it was the last major electoral exercise before next year.
According to two Congress leaders aware of the details, the restructuring in the states where the party lost will be done after the review.
The Congress high command has summoned outgoing chief ministers Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan) and Bhupesh Baghel (Chhattisgarh), former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, state unit chiefs, in-charges and co-incharges of the three states for the meetings in Delhi.
While the defeat in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh will be analysed during a meeting on Friday, the poll loss in Rajasthan will be reviewed on Saturday, the leaders cited above said.
In Madhya Pradesh, state Congress chief Kamal Nath is likely to quit the post following the party’s worst performance in a decade. A senior Congress leader earlier said that during a meeting on Tuesday, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge conveyed to Nath that there is a growing consensus in the party that the 77-year-old should no longer helm the MP unit.
“Nath is willing to submit his resignation and will demand a new leader as state head and leader of opposition in the state assembly,” a senior party leader said, seeking anonymity.
Nath, who has sought a report from candidates on the poll loss by December 15, will attend the AICC meeting with leaders Govind Singh, Suresh Pachori and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh on Friday, party functionaries said.
Baghel and Congress’s Chhattisgarh chief Deepak Baij left for Delhi on Thursday evening. “As I am informed, there will be a review meeting on the poll outcomes,” Sushil Anand Shukla, head of Chhattisgarh Congress communication wing.
A second senior Congress leader said the issue of the leader of opposition is likely to be discussed in the meeting. “Hopefully, the appointment of the leader of the opposition in the state assembly will also be discussed in this meeting,” the leader said.
Speaking to reporters, Baij said the elections were fought under collective leadership in Chhattisgarh. “The election was fought under a joint leadership, maintaining a balance among numerous senior leaders. As party chief for a brief period of four to five months, I tried my best to strike a balance. Despite the unexpected election results, we acknowledge the public’s mandate,” Baij said.
It is worth mentioning that only four out of the 13 ministers won the elections – Bhupesh Baghel, Kawasi Lakhma, Umesh Patel and Anila Bhedia. The assembly speaker and senior Congress leader Charan Das Mahant also managed to retain his assembly seat.
“I think the choice is between Baghel and Mahant and it is likely that the Congress president could also be changed in the next few weeks,” the second leader said.
Senior Congress leaders, including Gehlot, state party chief Govind Dotasara, incharge Sukhjinder Singh Radhawa, Congress Working Committee member Sachin Pilot, and senior leader Harish Choudhary will be attending the meeting to review the defeat in Rajasthan, on Saturday.
