After losing Punjab to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa to the BJP, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) is set to meet on Sunday at 4 p.m. But before that, senior leader Vivek Tankha said that it was the need of the hour to keep arrogance aside and work for the party selflessly.
Highlighting reasons for the poll debacle, Congress leader and senior lawyer Tankha told IANS: "We all have to come together and strengthen the party. Neither the G-23 nor the high command can run alone. When there is no unity in the family, the family collapses.
"We lost Punjab due to lack of unity, could have won Uttarakhand, but there were differences too. Now time has come when everyone has to put their ego aside and tell what they can give to the party unconditionally. Because this is the time to give, not to take.
"Controversies arise only due to personal reasons. When you are in a big position, you think you are always right. But it is not the time to ask what the party can give us. It is time to let us know what we can give."
According to the Congress leaders, the state polls debacle have come against their expectations and they have realised the party's need to work on the ground. The Congress won two seats in Uttar Pradesh, 11 in Goa, five in Manipur, 18 in Punjab and 19 in Uttarakhand.
The leaders of G-23 met on Friday, at the residence of senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, after the party's poll washout. At the meeting, the possibility of early election of the new president and changes in the CWC were raised.
Talking about the CWC meeting, Vivek Tankha said: "I don't think anybody is a rebel in our party. We have a meeting of the working committee, where all senior Congress leaders will sit and talk about our performance. I have complete faith in my high command, and I know a plan will be chalked out by taking everyone into consideration.
"A change in CWC is also necessary and it will be decided by the high command. The younger generation must also come forward and accelerate the process while the high command decides on the election of the new president."
The G-23 leaders had written to party president Sonia Gandhi in August, 2020 demanding a change of the active president and the "drift" in the party.
Although Priyanka Gandhi worked hard to woo the public of Uttar Pradesh, the party has faced crushing defeat in the elections.
Talking about her efforts in Uttar Pradesh, Vivek Tankha said: "I was told by the leaders of other parties about Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's hard work and request her to not move away, to stand in the field, whatever the results may be. And if it continues this way, the Congress will definitely bring 20 to 25 seats in the next parliamentary elections."
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