Cong president to visit HP to assess poll loss
This will be Rahul Gandhi’s first visit to the hill state after becoming party chief; will meet senior party leaders, candidates
SHIMLA : After Congress’ debacle in the election, Congress president Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Shimla on 29 December to seek feedback from the party workers and candidates on the party’s loss in the state assembly elections.
This will be Rahul’s first visit to state capital after taking over party reigns. Congress secured 21 of the 68 assembly seats in fray while its vote percentage decreased from 42.81% to 41%.
Party general secretary Naresh Chauhan said Rahul will conduct two sessions, one in the forenoon and another in the afternoon. “Rahul ji will meet party’s senior leaders besides other officer bearers and candidates to assess the causes of defeat,” Chauhan added.
A few days ago, the ‘grand old party’ had undertook a first-of-its-kind review to analyse electoral reverses it suffered in the polls. Majority of the candidates termed infighting, sabotage by the local leaders and lack of resources as the reason of their defeat in electoral debacle.
In a meeting chaired by All India Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge Sushil Kumar Shinde in the presence of secretary Ranjeet Ranjan, the party candidates and legislators strongly recommended action be taken against local and a few toprung leaders for marring the election campaign.
The candidates who lost the elections presented as a proof the audio and video footage of local leaders who ‘sabotaged’ the election this time, many contestants overtly and covertly blamed Virbhadra Singh for propagating local leaders who allegedly worked against their own party.
Deepak Rathore, a candidate from Theog, has reportedly produced audio and video clips before Shinde and Ranjan alleging that leaders had backed CPI(M) candidate Rakesh Singha. Singha, who had won in 1993 from Shimla urban seat, made it to the Vidhan Sabha this time from Theog. Due to incomplete formalities, returning officer had rejected the nomination of octogenarian leader Vidya Stokes from the same segment.