UP Cong ministers criticise Khurshid, Beni Prasad: sources

New Delhi: A blame-game over the Congress debacle in Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls began on Friday when Rahul Gandhi sets out on the task of analysing the outcome which has come as a rude shock to the party.

Sources said that MLAs have criticised comments by senior ministers like Salman Khurshid, Beni Prasad Verma and Sriprakash Jaiswal in the meeting on Friday.

Digvijaya Singh was also made accused of playing favourites.

Sources said that MLA Nawab Kazim sought action against ministers responsible for the debacle.

With Lok Sabha polls not far away, a drastic reorganisation of the Uttar Pradesh Congress appears to be on the cards with Rahul Gandhi giving hints that tough steps will be taken to stem the rot in the wake of the assembly debacle.

"Don't expect a kid gloves treatment from now on. It will be firm steps," was the message of Gandhi to the newly-elected MLAs of the party during the second day of the review of the poll debacle.

The interactions saw Gandhi giving the mantra of 'stay connected' at the grassroot level to Congress leaders. During the interaction, several MLAs lamented a disconnect with central leaders.

"Those who have stayed connected have sailed through. Do not forget the name of your grassroots workers after you win. Stay connected with people not with a purpose of winning

elections but to serve them," said Gandhi.

Interacting with party MLAs who were successful in the just-concluded battle of the ballot in the politically crucial state, the young leader also told them that unity of purpose and action in the state legislature will help them forcefully put forward their views.

With Congress winning only 28 out of the total 403 seats, Gandhi wanted the MLAs to effectively raise issues after proper homework so that they take up the correct causes.

During the interaction, the MLAs complained that the campaigning being strategised from Delhi lacked the local depth, flavour and the punch and resorted to generalizations about the state scene, ignoring the problems faced in individual constituencies.

Some of them were critical of the central leaders, incuding Union ministers from the state over their non-inclusion by them during campaigning by Gandhi in their areas.

(With additional inputs from PTI)

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