Delhi Election Results: Congress disapproves 'blame game' in party loses

The Congress on Wednesday disapproved the "blame game" among party leaders following party's debacle in the Delhi elections and said if the leaders had introspected on their own role and defined their duty towards the campaign in Delhi, things would have been sorted out by themselves.

Party's Communications Incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala told media persons here that the party will go to the "drawing board, to the last worker of the Congress Party in Delhi" to get back support of people.

"I have seen some remarks of certain leaders. On behalf of Indian National Congress, we want to categorically state that the Congress strongly disapproves the blame game, the allegations and counter-allegations being hurled upon each other by the Delhi leaders," Surjewala said.

"It would have been better if the leaders of the Congress in Delhi or elsewhere, would have looked at, introspected on their own role, their own responsibility, their own commitment to the party and defined their own duty towards the campaign in Delhi, then things would have sorted out themselves," he said.

There has been a blame game among leaders following the party's dismal performance in Delhi.

Party's Delhi in-charge PC Chacko told ANI that downfall of the Congress party started in 2013 when Sheila Dikshit was the Chief Minister.

"The emergence of a new party Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) took away the entire Congress vote bank. We could never get it back. It still remains with the AAP," he said.

However, he soon clarified that his remarks had been wrongly interpreted. "I did not say that we lost in Sheilaji's time, it is being wrongly interpreted. We lost in 2013, even in 2014, 2015 and 2017. I know who the people behind all this issue are, there is a deliberate campaign against me and I have seen this earlier also," he said.

Following Chacko's earlier remarks, Congress leader Milind Deora said in a tweet that Sheila Dikshit was "a remarkable politician and administrator".

"During her tenure as Chief Minister, Delhi was transformed and Congress was stronger than ever. Unfortunate to see her being blamed after her death. She dedicated her life to INC and the people of Delhi," he said.

Party leader Sharmistha Mukherjee took exception to Chidambaram's remarks in which he had referred to Aam Aadmi Party victory in Delhi and said "bluff and bluster" lost.

"With due respect, sir, just want to know- has INC outsourced the task of defeating BJP to state parties? If not, then why r we gloating over AAP victory rather than being concerned abt our drubbing? And if 'yes', then we (PCCs) might as well close shop!" said Mukherjee, who is the daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee.

Surjewala said the party will go to the ordinary party worker and listen to his voice.

"We will go back to the drawing board, go back to the last worker of the Congress Party in Delhi, who toiled tirelessly bereft of any groupings and worked for the party, although we could not secure the support of the people," he said.

The Congress leader said that there will be a revamp in Delhi unit.

"We will go back to the ordinary Congress worker and we will listen to his or her voice and consequently redraw the leadership of the Congress Party in Delhi to act as a responsible opposition. I urge upon every Congress leader, I urge upon every Congressman and woman of Delhi to look for his or her own responsibility and accountability as also their duties and commitment to the party," he said.

Surjewala said the process of party's revival will not happen by accusing each other or by blaming each other.

"It will happen by sheer dent of your own commitment, assessment of your own contribution to the Congress campaign as also your own commitment to people of Delhi and to the Congress," Surjewala said.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday accepted resignations of Delhi unit chief Subhash Chopra and party's Delhi in-charge PC Chacko.

Shaktisinh Gohil, who is in-charge of Bihar, has been given interim charge of Delhi, according to an official party release.

The Congress could not win any seat for the second time in a row in Delhi in the results of assembly elections declared on Tuesday. It was also the party's worst electoral performance in Delhi assembly polls and its vote share was the lowest.

The Congress fielded candidates on 66 seats, of which 63 forfeited their deposit.

The party had given four seats to RJD and all candidates of its ally also lost their deposits.

Chopra had offered to resign on Tuesday soon after the results taking moral responsibility for the party's performance. He was made party chief in October last.

The Congress was in power in the national capital for 15 successive years before the advent of Aam Aadmi Party.

In the results announced on Tuesday, AAP secured 62 of 70 seats while BJP was restricted to eight.

(ANI)

Also Read: 'Arvind Kejriwal is a corrupt man': BJP MLA after Delhi Assembly Poll win