Accepting the loss in the Assembly elections in three of the four States, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said it was time for some “serious introspection”.
“We will take all necessary actions to rectify the situation,” she said while addressing a media briefing in the Capital on Sunday. She accepted that inflation, which has been affecting people in the country for most of last year, was one of the reasons for the defeat.
Saying that the Congress needs to look into the reasons for defeat, Sonia Gandhi, however, did not give a clear statement on the party’s Prime Ministerial candidate.
“The party has to decide and at the opportune time the party will decide...PM candidate name will be announced,” she said, averting questions on whether Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi could be the party’s Prime Ministerial candidate.
She also expressed confidence that the results of the Assembly elections will not be replicated in the Lok Sabha elections due in 2014.
“In State elections they (people) focus on the personalities and leaders at the State level. For national elections people look for leaders that can guide and govern them at the national level,” she said, adding that the issues too will be different.
Rahul Gandhi said the two major traditional parties – the Congress and the BJP – need to learn from the first-time Aam Aadmi Party.
“I think AAP has involved a lot of people, whom the traditional parties did not involve. We are going to learn from that,” Rahul Gandhi said, even as he congratulated the “opponents who have won the elections.”
Cong revamp He also hinted at major transformation within the party. “I am going to put all my efforts in transforming the organisation and the leaders of the Congress party,” he said, indicating a stronger role for himself.
“We need to start politics of empowerment of people. I have been saying this inside the Congress party and I am going to now do it very aggressively in the Congress now,” he added.
aesha.datta@thehindu.co.in