Click to play videoNew Delhi: As BJP celebrates its thumping victory in the Gujarat Assembly elections, Congress is trying to find answers for the Gujarat defeat.
Party leaders, including those leaders involved in Gujarat elections met in the Capital to discuss what went wrong.
In the introspection, party's Gujarat in-charge B K Hariprasad has owned full responsibility for not being able to convert crowds into votes. He also ruled out that Sonia Gandhi's Merchants of Death comment backfired.
“I own responsibility for Gujarat defeat. We did not do as well as in Saurashtra as was expected. By the merchant of death remark Sonia Gandhi was referring to people who killed innocent people she was not pointing any particular person. It was our responsibility to translate the large public response in the rallies into votes, but we failed. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi come to the Gujarat only after invitation,” said Hariprasad.
They are expected to make a report on the reasons for the poor showing, which will be submitted to party chief Sonia Gandhi.
Sources in the party say that the likely feedback to Sonia include excessive reliance on the rebel factor which failed to bring in votes. This also lead to anger within the party's grassroot workers, who felt left out.
Another reason likely to be quoted is that the party could not connect well with its workers.
Sources also say that the party's decision to shift campaign focus from non-development to terrorism and riots could also make it to the reasons-lists.
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