Poll debacle: AICC member wants Gandhis to step aside for new leadership

Chennai, March 11 (PTI): Following the poor show of the Congress in the just-concluded Assembly elections in five States, including the loss of Punjab, the top leadership should step aside and make way for a new leadership as the writing is clearly on the wall, senior leader of the party ‘Americai’ V Narayanan said on Friday.

The AICC member, also a Congress spokesperson, rued that the party, whose incumbent government in Punjab lost to AAP, fumbled in the election with mismanagement of the party.

While hailing Rahul Gandhi for having all the right intentions, he said the former party chief has not delivered for the last 20 years and that the public has also not accepted him. Moreover, his sister Priyanka, who led the party’s charge in the poll battle in Uttar Pradesh where the BJP retained power, could not make a mark.

“We have fumbled in the election badly with mismanagement of the party. We are fighting against the juggernaut of Modi sarkar and with their lies, money power and muscle power.”

He admitted that Congress has not managed the recent five State election properly and also botched the polls particulary in Punjab.

Its leaders do not have an appeal to the people of the country. “Now, that is the major problem,” Narayanan told PTI.

He said Sonia Gandhi’s sagacity and wisdom in an advisory role would make a significant difference for the party, but she should not involve her family.

There have been several instances wherein a thriving business enterprise the founder-families have stepped aside to give way to professionals in the larger interest of the organisation, he said.

“It is time for the Congress to move on, not necessarily in its own interest but also in the interest of the nation,”, he said.

Regarding Punjab, the last of the three States ruled by the party on its own — the others being Rajasthan and Chattisgarh, the AICC member said. “We just gave it away.”

“The verdict clearly shows Punjab people are against Modi sarkar, which is trying to divide the country in the name of caste and religion. However, they have chosen to not vote for us specifically because of the mismanagement of the State by the State as well as central leadership,” he said.

“At the end of the day, politics is a game of delivery. Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi delivered despite setbacks. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi had 20 long years to prove their mettle…the country is bigger than the party, and the party is bigger than the individuals and families,” he said.

Narayanan, however, did not want to identify anyone for the possible leadership role but said the candidate has to emerge from within the Congress.

Also, he suggested that leaders of NCP, TMC and YSRCP — all of which have ‘Congress’ in their names and were not aligned with the BJP should be brought into the Congress and be given a decision-making role.

“They are leaders of stature. They have proved themselves and even now control States. Unfortunately, the Gandhis have lost even their home turf.”

“So, it is time you bring those people in. I request the G-23 to go to these leaders in various States…and bring them into the Congress,” he said.

Talking about Rahul Gandhi, he said though the Congress leader’s heart is in the right place, he has not delivered.

Till today, there is no leader Rahul Gandhi has identified who has proved his mettle.

“He (Rahul Gandh) may work hard, but that is not what leadership is all about. He understands the need of Congress for India and the idea of India. But, ideas alone do not win elections,” Narayanan said.

“I don’t have anything personal against him. I love him as a leader but the public has just not accepted him and it is time the Gandhi siblings stepped aside,” Narayanan said.