The Congress has started taking steps to fix accountability on leaders for the defeat in the recently held elections to five State Assemblies.

The party’s national president Sonia Gandhi has asked PCC Presidents of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur to resign, including the recently appointed chief of Punjab unit Navjot Singh Sidhu.

“Congress President Sonia Gandhi has asked the PCC Presidents of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur to put in their resignations in order to facilitate re-organisation of PCCs,” Congress’ media in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

Besides Sidhu, Ajay Kumar Lallu (Uttar Pradesh), Ganesh Godhiyal (Uttarakhand), Girish Chodankar (Goa) and N Loken Singh (Manipur) will resign now.

On Sunday, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) discussed the party’s poll debacle and decided to take corrective steps.

Kapil Sibal’s remark

Party’s senior MP and former Minister Kapil Sibal publicly demanded that the Gandhi family should pave the way for others so that the party can be saved. Family loyalists attacked Sibal for the comments.

Party’s whip in the Lok Sabha and permanent invitee to the CWC Manickam Tagore, a staunch follower of Rahul Gandhi, said that Sibal is speaking for RSS and the BJP.

“Why RSS and BJP wants Nehru-Gandhi’s out of the leadership? Because without Gandhi’s leadership Congress will be become Janata party. It’s easy to kill Congress then it’s easy to destroy the idea of India. Kapil Sibal knows it but why he is speaking the language of RSS/BJP,” he asked.

Another spokesman Pawan Khera asked Sibal to contest for the president’s post.

“Dr Harshvardhan did not ask you to step aside from Chandni Chowk. He fought an election and defeated you Kapil Sibal. Those who want to lead Congress are free to fight upcoming election for the position of party president instead of chanting everyday against current leadership,” Khera tweeted.

Gehlot’s reaction

Senior leader and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said Sibal’s comment was “unfortunate”.

“At a time when the party is losing elections, leaders should stand united,” he said in Jaipur.

“Those who are talking about finishing the Congress party will themselves get finished. The Congress is years old party and our leaders have made supreme sacrifices before and after the independence,” he said.